Kenya: A Carbon-Neutral Cold Chain

Carbon Footprint of Food Loss

Food production is responsible for one-quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Unconsumed food generates 4.4 Gt CO₂ eq annually, about 8%-10% of total anthropogenic GHG emissions. This global issue affects society, the environment, and the economy. When food is lost, not only resources like land, water, energy, labor, and capital go to waste. In addition, soil depletion, over-fertilization, and the emission of CO₂ and methane are very concerning. According to the United Nations Environment Program’s food wastage index report, around 931 million tonnes of food waste was generated in 2019. This suggests that 17% of total global food production may be wasted. Approximately 33% of the world’s food production is either lost or wasted, exacerbating the challenges faced in ensuring food security and sustainability.

Dry ice can keep fruits, vegetables, and meats fresh during transport from farm to distributor. Direct air capture, powered by renewable energy, can harvest atmospheric CO₂, and then provide the energy to compress the gaseous CO₂ into its cold solid form–carbon-neutral dry ice.

The Cold Chain Infrastructure (CCI) deployment in Kenya is underdeveloped for required value chains. However, it is more elaborate for horticulture, for example, given the need to adhere to the strict quality requirements of target export markets. Most FFV (Fruit and Vegetable) losses occur between the farm gate and post-harvest handling (the first mile). The current CCI market for FFV is estimated at US$511 million and is expected to reach approximately US$1 billion by 2030. The CCI market size for FFV at the production level assumes that the total production, minus what is wasted at the farm gate, requires a cold chain. The CCI meat market sizing considers beef, camel, pig, chicken, sheep, and rabbit meat, among others. The current CCI market opportunity is estimated at US$15.8 billion and is expected to double by 2030. This is because CCI in the meat value chain is nearly non-existent, with cold chains mainly limited to government abattoirs and premium retail shops (premium butcheries and supermarkets) that distribute meat. This is primarily due to the requirement that a slaughterhouse has freezing and chilling facilities before registration. It may be of interest to mention that the dairy market shows similar numbers, while the fish sector CCI is expected to decline due to a decline in production. A study by Efficiency for Access finds that in Kenya, there will be a total opportunity for CCI deployment worth US$2.1 billion in 2030, considering the FFV, Dairy, and Fish value chains.

Dry Ice Energy Efficiency and Temperature Range:

• Energy Efficiency in Extreme Cold: Dry ice, due to its extremely cold temperature (sublimation temperature of approximately -78.5°C or -109.3°F), offers an additional benefit in certain situations. Dry ice doesn’t require electricity or mechanical components for cooling during transportation. It is a passive cooling agent that relies on the sublimation process of CO₂. This can be more energy-efficient in specific situations, particularly for short-duration transport of ultra-frozen goods.
• Traditional Refrigeration: Electrically powered refrigeration systems are highly efficient when designed and maintained properly. However, they require a continuous energy source to operate and may be less efficient for certain applications, especially when long-term storage or transport at very low temperatures is needed.

Co-Benefits 

These co-benefits emphasize how the use of dry ice in the cold chain can have wide-ranging positive effects, including environmental sustainability, economic development, and improvements in public health and food security:

1. Climate Mitigation: Implementing CO₂ capture and producing dry ice can reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Dry ice made from atmospheric CO₂ is a carbon-neutral cold chain solution that helps mitigate climate change by reducing GHG emissions.
2. Less Food Waste: Effective cold chain systems can reduce food waste, resulting in fewer emissions associated with food production and disposal.
3. Improved Food Security: Using dry ice to preserve perishable goods extends food shelf life, enhancing food security and access to fresh produce.
4. Better Public Health: Increased availability of fresh and safe food products can improve public health and better nourishment.
5. Complementary to Unreliable Grid Electricity: The reliable cooling dry ice provides can complement sparse and unreliable grid electricity, particularly in regions that lack consistent power supply.
6. Job Creation: Establishing dry ice production and cold chain facilities can create job opportunities in manufacturing, transportation, and logistics, thereby contributing to local economic development.
7. Local Industry Development: Developing a dry ice production industry stimulates local manufacturing and entrepreneurship, reducing the need to import cooling agents and equipment while increasing local incomes.
8. Reduced Environmental Impact: Dry ice has a lower environmental impact than some other refrigerants: it does not contribute to ozone depletion and has a relatively short atmospheric lifetime.
9. Stimulation of Innovation: Adopting sustainable cooling solutions, such as dry ice, can stimulate innovation and technological advancement in cold chain logistics.