Skip to main content

Earth has a food waste problem. Can giant, solar-powered refrigerators help?

Promotional image for Tech For Change. Person standing on solar panel looking at sunset.
This story is part of Tech for Change: an ongoing series in which we shine a spotlight on positive uses of technology, and showcase how they're helping to make the world a better place.

Will Hawkins/Digital Trends

This article is part of The Food Fight, a series that explores how the United Nations’ World Food Programme is using technology to battle food scarcity and put an end to hunger by 2030.

Hunger is one of the most prominent issues humans face worldwide. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, more than 820 million people currently suffer from a lack of food. That’s roughly one in nine people that go hungry every single day.

Since 2015, the number of people affected by the world’s food security epidemic has grown by about 35 million, with those living in developing countries impacted by it the most. Poverty, food shortages, and climate change all contribute to the issue, but one major issue plays a role in all of those factors — food waste.

Getty

Developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America lose about 40% of their food after harvesting and during processing. And 45% of the spoilage is a result of a lack of cold storage. If that sounds like needless food waste, that’s because it is. It’s an issue that can’t be easily remedied by purchasing a fridge as we do here in the states. With 840 million people having no access to electricity, and many of them living in poverty, the answer to this problem isn’t so crystal clear.

Fortunately, a little invention called ColdHubs could be a solution.

Solar-powered refrigerators

Maybe electric refrigerators don’t work. That’s fine. They aren’t all that great for the environment anyway. But what if we ditched the Freon and made them solar-powered? ColdHubs does exactly that.

Using cheap and readily-available insulated panels, these solar-powered walk-in cold rooms provide a temperate place for farmers to store their vegetables, fruits, and other perishable foods. Using a “flexible pay-as-you-store subscription” to sustain the stations, farmers can stash away their produce neatly in the reusable crates, dramatically increasing shelf life from two days to 21 days.

Cold Hubs

ColdHubs estimates it can decrease food waste by a whopping 80%. This will help local farmers increase their income, and bring more nutrition-rich foods to hungry people in the countries that need it most. With up to 80% of the food in the developing world provided by small farms, ColdHubs is not only trying to curb hunger in these countries but is also supporting global markets (you can thank them for that smoothie you had for breakfast later).

ColdHubs estimates it will decrease food waste by a whopping 80%.

It is also creating more job opportunities for women. ColdHubs primarily hires women to work at its stations, which may seem like a small gesture, but it’s actually a big step toward a much more important goal. The FAO reports that by giving women farmers access to the same resources as men, the number of people starving globally could drop by 100 million to 150 million. Now, who said the future isn’t female?

Extending support

Founded in Nigeria by farmer/innovator Nnaemeka C. Ikegwuonu, ColdHubs is first doing its work in Africa with the hope it can extend its support to other developing countries in the world.

Cold Hubs

“We are home to the largest tomato production belt in west Africa, yet farmers are losing more than 50% of their crops due to lack of cold storage. So we came up with solar-powered, walk-in cold rooms which can extend the life of food up to 21 days, and my goal is to push these hubs to all developing countries.” Ikegwuonu told The Guardian.

With help from the German Society of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, the solar-powered refrigerators use powerful batteries that when fully charged, have the ability to run a unit for up to three days without sunlight, increasing a ColdHubs’ ability to thrive in even the most overcast of locations.

ColdHubs is just one of the many ways people are helping tackle the world’s problems with hunger. If you’re interested in learning more, several organizations like the United Nations Development Programme, UNICEF, World Food Programme, Food and Agriculture Organization, Feed the Future, and the International Fund for Agriculture and Development have initiatives that inform and take steps toward causes directly related to improving food security for people all over the world.

Felicia Miranda
Born in '89 and raised through the 90s, I experienced what I consider to be the golden age of video games. At an early age, I…
The Ioniq 5 is once again eligible for the $7,500 tax credit
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5

After a brief and confusing absence, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is once again eligible for the full $7,500 federal tax credit — and this time, it's sticking around (at least for now). So, what happened? Let’s unpack the ride.

The Ioniq 5, a sleek and tech-savvy electric crossover, initially made headlines not just for its design, but for being built at Hyundai’s brand-new Metaplant in Georgia. That domestic assembly qualified it for the EV tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which requires vehicles to be made in North America with batteries sourced from trade-friendly countries. But early in 2025, the Ioniq 5 vanished from the list. Why? Likely due to its battery packs, which were then still being sourced from SK On’s Hungarian facility.

Read more
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more