Symnet Agro Solutions Ltd
Cold Storage & Post-HarvestYatta Sub-County, Machakos County, KenyaCompleted 2024–2025

Off-Grid Solar Cold Storage Room in Machakos

Walk-in Horticultural Cold Room (2°C–8°C) for Post-Harvest Food Loss Eradication

Off-Grid Solar Cold Storage Room in Machakos
Official Client & Scope

Machakos Fresh Horticultural Aggregator

Design, PIR thermal panel assembly, solar PV cold system, and digital humidity control

Verified Field Case Study
County LocationMachakos County
Project CategoryCold Storage & Post-Harvest
Key ContractorSymnet Agro Solutions
Execution Timeline2024–2025
5 Tonnes
Holding Capacity

Daily cold storage

2°C–8°C
Controlled Temp

Extend shelf life 4x

0% Diesel
Solar Powered

100% off-grid reliability

85%
Loss Reduction

From farm gate to market

The Climatic & Agronomic Challenge

Understanding the Problem

High ambient temperatures in semi-arid Machakos caused rapid spoilage of harvested produce within 24 to 48 hours. Farmers were forced to sell to middlemen at distress prices or discard up to 40% of their harvest when collection trucks were delayed.
The Engineered Response

Symnet Technology & Field Execution

Symnet constructed a modular 5-tonne walk-in cold storage room using 100mm fire-retardant polyisocyanurate (PIR) insulated sandwich panels. The refrigeration unit is powered by a dedicated 8.2 kWp solar array with smart thermal energy storage that maintains temperatures between 2°C and 8°C throughout the night without requiring expensive lead-acid battery replacements.

Key Measured Results

Extended shelf life of harvested vegetables and fruits from 2 days to over 21 days.
Eliminated distress selling, allowing the cooperative to aggregate volumes and negotiate 35% higher prices with supermarket chains.
Completely immune to local grid power blackouts due to 100% independent solar operation.
"The solar cold room built by Symnet has changed everything for our horticultural farmers in Machakos. Produce that used to spoil while waiting for transport now stays fresh for weeks. It has protected our incomes completely."
Julius Mutua
Cooperative Chairman
Yatta Horticultural Producers Association

Engineering Specifications

Field-verified technical parameters
Storage Capacity5 Metric Tonnes (Volume: 32 m³)
Insulation Panels100mm High-Density PIR (Polyisocyanurate) with food-grade pre-painted steel
Solar Energy System8.2 kWp Monocrystalline PV array + hybrid solar inverter
Operating Range+2°C to +8°C with digital precision controller
Door SystemHeavy-duty sliding insulated cold room door with safety emergency release
Certified Installation StandardAll geomembranes, framing & irrigation conform to KEBS and ISO specifications.
Project Documentation

Field Installation Gallery

Actual site photographs during excavation, thermal welding, structural erection, and operational commissioning.

Off-Grid Solar Cold Storage Room in Machakos
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