Cold storage facilities and food processing plants are among the highest electricity consumers in Bangladesh's agricultural sector. Rooftop solar can cut refrigeration energy costs by 35–50% — with the largest facilities saving over BDT 1 crore per year.
Bangladesh has over 400 registered cold storage facilities with a combined capacity of approximately 1.2 million tonnes — primarily storing potatoes, onions, and other agricultural produce. Food processing plants (fish processing, fruit processing, dairy) add significantly to this total. These facilities share a critical characteristic: refrigeration compressors run 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, making electricity the single largest operating cost after labour.
Cold storage facilities have several features that make them excellent solar candidates. Their large, flat roofs (typically 50,000–200,000 sq ft) provide ample space for solar panels. Their consistent, predictable electricity consumption makes ROI calculations straightforward. And critically, solar generation peaks in summer — exactly when refrigeration loads are highest and grid reliability is most strained.
| Facility type | Capacity | Roof area | Solar plant | Annual saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small cold store | 500 tonnes | 20,000 sq ft | 260 kWp | BDT 32,76,000 |
| Medium cold store | 2,000 tonnes | 60,000 sq ft | 780 kWp | BDT 98,28,000 |
| Large cold store | 5,000 tonnes | 150,000 sq ft | 1,950 kWp | BDT 2,45,70,000 |
| Fish processing plant | Variable | 80,000 sq ft | 1,040 kWp | BDT 1,31,04,000 |
For cold storage operators, power outages are not just an inconvenience — they can destroy an entire season's stored crop. Vvon recommends pairing rooftop solar with Pylontech or BYD battery storage to provide 2–4 hours of backup power for compressors during grid outages. This combination of solar + battery + grid provides the most resilient power supply available for cold storage operations in Bangladesh.
Vvon Technologies provides free solar feasibility studies for cold storage and food processing facilities. Learn more about solar for cold storage → or contact us for a free site assessment →