An innovative solar-powered cold storage design jointly developed by students of Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) and City, University of London, has won gold at the Efficiency for Access Design Challenge 2021-22.

The announcement was made today (June 23, 2022) during a grand finale held virtually from the UK by the organisers, Efficiency for Access Coalition and Engineers Without Borders, UK, said a press release.

Md Sadik Abdal and Tashfiah Tahsin, students of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at IUB, and Ali Ahmed and Nour Ben Gaied, students of City, University of London, UK, worked together to propose the solar-powered cold storage system to preserve fish and other perishable goods.

The idea was to harness the power of renewable solar energy and convert it into ice banks to keep food fresh, help reduce food wastage, save farmers money and increase their incomes, it said.

Funded by the Netherlands-based IKEA Foundation, the Efficiency for Access Design Challenge is a multidisciplinary competition that empowers teams of university students to accelerate clean energy access for low and middle-income countries through the development of innovative appliances, said the release.

"We are delighted to receive this recognition. It is a true testament to the hard work that we have put in to develop this design, especially considering the importance of renewable energy in the context of global warming and food security," said Md Sadik Abdal.

The other winner from IUB, Tashfiah Tahsin said, "A big chunk of the credit goes to the faculty members and management of IUB, who have always supported us in our endeavours to find innovative ways to ensure a sustainable future for our planet. Sincere gratitude to the organisers of the Efficiency for Access Design Challenge for recognizing our hard work."

"Our students have made us proud today with their hard work and creativity. Research and innovation are at the heart of IUB's academic outlook. Their collaboration with the City, University of London, in developing this design also highlights the importance of international partnerships for building an energy-secure future," IUB Vice Chancellor Tanweer Hasan, PhD.

Over 150 students from 22 universities in Bangladesh, Benin, Cameroon, India, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Sweden, Uganda, the UK, the USA, and Zimbabwe took part in the challenge, this year.