A solar energy refrigerator is a refrigerator that runs on energy directly provided by the sun, and may include photovoltaic or solar thermal energy. Solar energy refrigerators are able to keep perishable products like meat and fresh milk in warm climates, and are used to keep the necessary vaccines at their proper temperature to prevent spoilage. Solar energy coolers are typically used in off-grid locations where no AC power is available.
Refrigerators containing ozone-depleting substances and global warming, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), in their insulation foam or refrigerant cycle are the most damaging. After the ban on CFCs in the 1980s, they were replaced by substances such as hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), ozone-depleting substances and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Both are environmentally destructive as potential chemicals for global warming. If a conventional refrigerator is inefficient or used inefficiently, it will also contribute more to global warming than to a highly efficient refrigerator. The use of solar energy for power cooling strives to minimize the negative impacts that refrigerators have on the environment.
In 1878, at the Universal Exhibition in Paris, Augustin Mouchot presented the engine of Mouchot and obtained a Gold Medal in Class 54 for his works, especially the production of ice with concentrated solar heat.
"In developed countries, plug-in refrigerators with standby generators store vaccines safely, but in developing countries where electricity supply may be unreliable, alternative refrigeration technologies are required." Solar refrigerators were introduced in the developing world to reduce the use of kerosene or gas-cooled refrigerators that are the most common alternatives. They are used both for vaccine storage and for household applications in areas without reliable power supply because they have little or no electricity in the network. It burns a liter of kerosene per day, therefore, requires a constant supply of fuel that is expensive and smelly, and are responsible for the production of large amounts of carbon dioxide. They can also be difficult to adjust, which can result in freezing the medicine. The use of kerosene as fuel is discouraged for three reasons: recurrent cost of fuel, difficulty maintaining a precise temperature and risk of fire.