An integrated system has been designed to provide power and water to small villages, delivering three essential services for agricultural communities:
- Water for irrigation and safe drinking, supported by water purifiers.
- Electric lighting using LED bulbs for households and street lamps for community use.
- Chilling and drying facilities for agricultural products.
The system includes a chilling facility (operating at 5-10°C) for storing vegetables, fruits, and milk, as well as drying facilities (at 45°C) for harvested crops. Solar refrigerators are particularly beneficial for remote villages with unreliable power supplies, while the cold storage unit can be supported by AC power during prolonged periods without sunlight. Additionally, a novel DC Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) inverter has been developed to operate variable-speed loads, addressing the current market gap since existing commercial VFDs are typically designed for larger systems (one MW or more). The power generated is routed through control panel and power from control panel will be directed to particular facility needed for the beneficiaries. This innovation opens up opportunities for entrepreneurs to manage the cold storage unit and provide affordable storage services to the community. The system requires only a one-time capital investment, and the recovery period is estimated to be less than 3 to 5 years.