DULAS LAUNCHES VC60 SDD, AN ADVANCED SOLAR-POWERED VACCINE REFRIGERATOR AND ICEPACK FREEZER
Leading British renewable energy specialist reveals new Hot Zone rated solar direct drive combined vaccine refrigerator and water pack freezer, designed to operate in remote areas at +43°C
Machynlleth, 6 June 2017 – Dulas, a leading British solar refrigeration manufacturer and renewable energy specialist, has announced today the launch of its VC60 Solar Direct Drive (SDD) combined vaccine refrigerator and icepack freezer. The World Health Organisation (WHO) accredited VC60 SDD is part of the Dulas Solar Direct Drive product range that features Freeze-Free® technology, ensuring that vaccines stored in the refrigerator are never exposed to harmful freezing temperatures.
The new model features advanced technology that includes an icepack freezer with additional storage and an integrated Solar Socket – a solar harvesting device to support vaccine outreach work in remote areas. The innovative Hot Zone rated design of the VC60 SDD provides an extended operating temperature range of +5°C to +43°C that enables it to successfully function regardless of extreme variations in temperature.
One of the greatest challenges for immunization programs is that vaccines need to be administered in remote areas with sporadic access to the national grid. While there is no ‘one size fits all’ answer to these challenges, the most common issues that hinder immunization programs on the ground are problems with vaccine storage and access to electricity.
The latest VC60 SDD has been developed in response to the developing needs and shaping of these markets.
Despite a push for global electrification, the average National Electricity Rate (reported by the World Energy Outlook in 2016) for Sub-Saharan Africa is still only 35%, and in Sierra Leone that figure is as low as 14%. Yemen, now officially a failed state and suffering from violence and famine due to an ongoing civil war, has an electricity rate of 45%, which is still well below the regional average of 92%.
Although each region has local idiosyncrasies that require a tailored approach operationally, a recurring theme in developing markets is the dramatic increase in mobile phone uptake, and the corresponding opportunities this brings for medical and public health practices supported by mobile electronic devices. In line with this changing landscape, Dulas’ solar-powered refrigerator/freezer features an integrated Solar Socket for charging mobile phones and other electronic devices.
The VC60 SDD features a larger storage capacity and advanced autonomy and holdover rates (i.e., the length of time that it can maintain temperature range with or without solar radiation, respectively) of 94 hours and 11 minutes. The technology is designed to work around the clock, using sophisticated computer modelling that carefully matches the energy from the solar photovoltaic modules to the needs of the refrigerators.
Dulas’ pioneering FreezeFree® technology is designed using a combination of advanced solar and temperature control systems, together with phase change materials to ensure that vaccines are kept at the recommended temperature range of +2°C to +8°C.
Catherine McLennan, Account Manager at Dulas, said: “Reliable storage is essential to ensuring that vaccines are effective. Our Solar Direct Drive refrigerators use our own advanced technology, developed by Dulas over many years, to provide vaccine storage that exceeds WHO requirements and supports primary health care initiatives across the globe."
In addition to designing and manufacturing solutions for primary health care, Dulas’ experienced logistics team is committed to ensuring that the refrigerators arrive on time and in perfect condition. Dulas distribute their British-manufactured products from the company’s base in Wales and refrigeration factory on the south coast anywhere in the world.