Locations
Demonstrating Digital Monitoring and Management Tools to Enhance Energy Efficiency and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Space Cooling and Cold Chain Sector
| Status: | Ongoing |
| Duration: | 2024 March – 2026 March |
| Budget: | USD 198,000 |
| Donors: | Governments of Denmark and Luxembourg |
| Implementing Partner: | United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Sri Lanka |
| National Partners: | National Ozone Unit (NOU), Ministry of Environment & Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA) |
| Focus Area: | Energy Efficiency, Sustainable Cooling, Digitalization, Climate Mitigation |
| Sustainable Development Goals: | SDG 7, SDG 9, SDG 12, SDG 13 |
About the Project
The Digital Cooling Project aims to demonstrate how digital and Internet of Things (IoT)–based monitoring and management tools can enhance energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Sri Lanka’s space cooling and cold chain sectors.
Cooling plays a vital role in Sri Lanka’s food security, public health, and economic development, while also accounting for a growing share of national electricity demand and emissions. Improving the energy performance of refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) systems is therefore critical to achieving national climate mitigation targets and advancing sustainable cooling practices.
The project is led by the National Ozone Unit (NOU) of the Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA), and implemented by UNDP Sri Lanka, with financial support from the Governments of Denmark and Luxembourg.
This initiative forms part of a broader UNDP programme implemented in Lebanon, Sri Lanka, and Trinidad and Tobago, promoting South–South cooperation and knowledge sharing through piloting and testing digital solutions for energy monitoring and management in the cooling sector.
Project Overview
The project focuses on piloting practical, scalable, and cost-effective digital solutions that can be replicated across Sri Lanka’s cold chain and space cooling sectors. IoT-based systems enable real-time data collection, automated fault detection, predictive maintenance, and system optimization leading to reduced energy consumption, improved reliability, and lower operational costs.
As part of the initial phase, a nationwide survey of 26 cold chain operators across the dairy, fisheries, pharmaceutical, retail, and agriculture sectors was conducted. The survey revealed limited adoption of digital solutions, particularly among small and medium scale facilities.
Based on these findings, the dairy sector was identified as a priority for piloting digital cooling technologies due to its high energy intensity and vulnerability to product losses.
Project Objectives
To reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the space cooling and cold chain sectors by piloting and demonstrating digital and IoT-based monitoring and management tools for RAC systems.
Key Outputs
- Institutions and professionals equipped with enhanced digital capabilities for improved energy efficiency and reduced GHG emissions.
- Strengthened technical skills and knowledge of RAC professionals, with particular emphasis on women’s participation in digital cooling technologies.
Key Activities
- Conduct nationwide assessments of automation and control systems used in cold chain facilities
- Design, install, and test IoT-based digital monitoring and management solutions
- Evaluate performance, cost-effectiveness, and scalability of piloted systems
- Develop technical reports and benchmarks for future upscaling
- Deliver hands-on training programmes for technicians, professionals, and students
- Promote gender-responsive capacity development in the cooling sector
- Develop communication materials to raise awareness among policymakers, businesses, and end-users
Expected Impact
The project will demonstrate the potential of digital technologies to deliver measurable improvements in the cooling sector, including:
- 1 pilot installation of an IoT-based digital monitoring and management system
- 10–25% reduction in total cooling energy consumption
- 50 direct male beneficiaries trained and engaged
- 50 direct female beneficiaries trained and engaged
- 2 awareness and capacity-building programmes conducted
