You can grow the best potato in the field. But if it rots in storage, you’ve harvested loss, not profit. Cold storage isn’t just about temperature—it’s about time, trust, and transforming perishable goods into long-term income. Add solar power, and you cut the cost of cooling in half.
The Most Important Point
A solar-powered cold storage keeps food fresh without burning diesel or grid power. That means lower costs, more uptime, and independence from power failures. Bangladesh needs thousands of such units, especially for potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and dairy products.
Why Cold Storage Is Crucial Now
- 40%+ of vegetables and perishables are lost post-harvest
- Traditional storages rely on unstable grid or costly diesel
- Farmers can’t time their sales, so they lose bargaining power
- Cold storage increases farmgate price by 20–30%
- Solar reduces OPEX by up to 50%
- Bangladesh has over 10,000 MW solar potential still underutilized
When the grid fails, the sun keeps your business cold and your cash flow warm.
Project Plan: Mid-Sized Solar Cold Storage
Storage Capacity: 1,000 Metric Tons
| Component | Estimated Cost (BDT) |
|---|---|
| Land & Civil Work (Insulated Chambers) | 1,20,00,000 |
| Refrigeration Units & Cooling Coils | 90,00,000 |
| Solar Panel Array (100–120 kW) | 1,00,00,000 |
| Battery Backup + Hybrid Inverter System | 75,00,000 |
| Temperature Monitoring + IoT Controls | 15,00,000 |
| Loading, Pallets, Forklift | 30,00,000 |
| Working Capital + Ops Setup | 50,00,000 |
| Licensing, Branding, and Certification | 10,00,000 |
| Total Project Budget (200% scale) | 4,90,00,000 |
Target Users
- Potato farmers & cooperatives (storage demand peaks Feb–April)
- Onion, tomato, eggplant, fruits (year-round cycles)
- Dairy (chilled milk storage for 2–3 days)
- Floriculture (cool storage of cut flowers)
- Agro-exporters needing temporary holding points
- NGOs and agri startups promoting contract farming
Revenue Streams
| Revenue Channel | Monthly Est. Revenue (BDT) |
|---|---|
| Storage Fees (avg BDT 400/MT/month) | 4,00,000 (off-season) to 10,00,000 (peak) |
| Solar Power Savings | 1,00,000–1,50,000 (diesel offset) |
| Cold Chain Logistics (optional) | 2,00,000–4,00,000 |
| Estimated Annual Net Profit | 40–50 lakh after full occupancy |
Breakeven: ~5 years (faster if leasing space year-round)
Profit Margin: 20–25% (after 2nd year optimization)
Advantages of Going Solar
- 10+ year solar panel lifespan
- No fuel supply risk or electricity price hike worries
- Clean, green energy = better branding & funding options
- Eligible for IDCOL, BIDA, PKSF, and green bank loans
- Carbon credit/ESG incentives from donor-backed projects
RAYHANS Cold Storage Solutions
We offer:
- Turnkey design + solar integration
- Load estimation and power backup modeling
- Licensing, government cold chain subsidies
- Partner sourcing with solar EPC firms
- Training for temperature management and storage SOPs
- Full feasibility study and bank-friendly profile
We turn sunlight into savings, and savings into scalable business.
Final Chill
Every year, farmers lose more money from heat than disease. A solar-powered cold storage unit is a vaccine against waste. It keeps produce, profit, and purpose intact—so that Bangladesh can feed more, waste less, and earn better.