Design of a Solar PV Powered Cold Storage for Fish in Sena and Mrongo Beaches in Mfangano Island, Kenya

Abstract

Fishing is a popular economic activity in Kenya's lakeside region. Its long-term viability and profitability is dependent on reliable supply of power and a refrigeration system. The lack of electricity at the study locations of Mrongo and Sena Beaches necessitates purchase of ice from transport trucks, which is then placed in locally made cooler boxes containing fish. Ice is replaced every three to four days, if not available might cause fish to spoil thus sold quickly fetching low prices. The size of the cold storage facility in this study was based on the mass of fish caught each day and the amount of ice required for storage. Product and transmission loads were used in designing the refrigeration system. The solar photovoltaic capacity was designed to generate an equivalent electrical energy to the calculated thermal energy with two-day autonomy. Finally, the system's economic viability was assessed. The results of the design revealed that Mrongo Beach, required two 1 kW refrigeration systems powered by 1.5 kW of solar PV. The Simple Payback Period (SPP) and Net Present Value (NPV) were 2.2 years and USD 6,787.10 respectively. Sena Beach required three 1 kW refrigeration systems and 2.8 kW of solar PV with its SPP and NPV 2.9 years and USD 3,153.61 respectively.