The freezers being tested in Central Park operate free of electricity — vendors can even charge their own mobile devices by plugging them into outlets attached to the freezer units.
!ADVERTISEMENT!
It seems fitting that Unilever, the world's largest producer of ice cream, is rolling out the world's first solar freezers in Central Park to keep those Popsicles, Good Humor or Magnum-brand bars cold while at the same time putting no strain on the environment.
Brandchannel reported the freezers are part of the company's Sustainable Living Plan, which features a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from refrigeration. "It's a strategic move for Unilever that already relies on more than two million POS freezers to reach consumers and may become the first commercially-viable solar freezer in the category," contributor Sheila Shayon wrote.
Unilever committed to purchase 850,000 freezers between 2010 and 2015, but it has already exceeded that goal, buying nearly 1.5 million freezers to date. The freezers, made using recycled materials, reduce energy consumption to less than 0.5 kilowatt-hours per day — equivalent to running a television for about three hours. This in turn reduces the load on national power grids and eliminates the need for producing large quantities of dry ice.
Continue reading at ENN affiliate Triple Pundit.
Ice cream stand image via Shutterstock.