Assessment and design of solar-powered cold storage solutions for Small-Scale fisheries in Uganda: a case study of Bwondha Landing Site

Abstract

Small-scale fisheries in Uganda face post-harvest losses estimated at 25–40% of total catch, driven largely by the absence of reliable cold storage infrastructure at off-grid landing sites. This study assesses and designs a solar-powered cold storage system for Bwondha Landing Site in Mayuge District, where approximately 200 fishermen land an average of 1.7 tonnes of fish daily with no functional refrigeration facility. A comprehensive cooling load analysis determined a total cold room requirement of 45.1 kW, dominated by the product load of 40.55 kW. Based on this, a refrigeration system using R-404A refrigerant was designed, yielding a cooling capacity of 56.36 kW and a Coefficient of Performance of 4.53. The supporting solar power system, modelled in HOMER Pro using NASA POWER irradiance data, comprises a 15.5 kWp photovoltaic array, a 48 V / 3500 Ah lithium-ion battery bank, and a 96%-efficient inverter configuration, sized to meet the 12.5 kW electrical load with a minimum of 48 hours of autonomous operation. The cold room, designed in CoolSelector2, measures 5 m × 2m×3mwith100mmpolyurethaneinsulation and a storage capacity of 3.4 tonnes. System behaviour was validated through MATLAB/Simulink simulation, which confirmed stable AC output across the full PV–battery–inverter–refrigeration chain. Economic analysis demonstrated that the locally fabricated design is approximately 22% cheaper in capital cost than an imported Chinese equivalent, with a payback period of 3.2 years and a 20-year Net Present Value of UGX 1.84 billion. The findings confirm that solar-powered cold storage is both technically feasible and economically viable for small-scale fisheries at Bwondha, offering a sustainable alternative to diesel-based refrigeration and traditional preservation methods.