An Integrated Solution for Solar Cold Chain Portfolio Management using Internet of Things

Abstract

The Cold Chain system includes a range of systems, such as 'thermal' and 'refrigerated packaging'strategies for moving temperature-sensitive goods along a supply chain, and logistical preparationto ensure shipment integrity. Cold Chain products, including refrigerated trucks and railcars,container ships, reefers, and air freight, are shipped in many different ways. The basic elements of the system are Cooling Systems, Cold, Cold Transport and Cold Processing and Distribution. The'cold' element of the system, i.e. refrigerators powered by gas or kerosene, has been consideredthe most suitable choice in areas without reliable energy sources such as electricity. Nevertheless,numerous problems with these tools have made it both difficult and costly to maintaintemperatures within the safe range. In the 1980s, solar refrigerators powered by batteries wereintroduced as a solution to those problems. But the batteries they relied on required regularmaintenance, had a lifespan of only three to five years, and replacements of quality were costlyand sometimes hard to get. A new solution with solar power has emerged in recent years byavoiding unreliable energy storage which is also expensive. This new solar-powered systemfreezes the material and keeps the tank frozen when there is no sunlight. The new IoT technologyoffers greater visibility and control over the entire cold chain network operated by the solar. Usingdata in real-time, IoT will allow quicker, more appropriate reactions as well as much moreinformed decisions. Nonetheless, the issue is that most IoT solutions aren't considered primetimeready. IoT has tremendous potential to play a pivotal role in turning the Solar Cold Chain Systeminto Smarter one. This literature analysis is created by revising a good number of papers publishedin peer-reviewed journals and online sources using the secondary data obtained. The goal of thestudy is to explain the use of IoT in the Solar-powered Cold Chain System, the future of IoT inthis area, find research gaps and finally list the research agenda.