The Clean Cooling Network

Born in Rwanda - Global in Vision

The Clean Cooling Network is a global programme to understand cooling and cold-chain as critical national infrastructure.

Our aim is to provide the tools, knowledge, training and support to deliver inclusive, equitable and future-proofed cooling and cold-chain solutions with minimum environmental impact.

Students with their tutor during a CCN training course

We have set out to answer a wicked problem - How do you create the local and global “field to fork” connectivity to nutritiously feed 10 billion people in 2050, whilst economically empowering hundreds of millions of small-scale farmers whose livelihoods and well-being are often dependent on only 1-2 hectares of land or less, as well as ensure they are climate-change adaptation ready and resilient.… sustainably?

Our Vision

Cold-chains are complex - multi-dimensional, temperature-controlled networks that must maintain perishable and temperature-sensitive products at their optimum temperature and environment from point of harvest to destination. They include both static and mobile elements that must work seamlessly together, and which are a primary source of different energy demands. And they include multiple stakeholders. The traditional private-sector-led business models necessarily focuses on and prioritizes the commercial financial returns not the impact that could be achieved on the economy, environment, and society as a whole. In fact, they often even exacerbate inequalities.

Our Answer

The Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-chain (ACES) in Rwanda and a reference SPOKE in Kenya were developed as the launch pad for a global programme of regional Centres of Excellence to increase access to resilient, efficient and climate-friendly cooling and cold-chain for all.

The programme is already being rolled into multiple markets in Africa (Senegal and Lesotho alongside Rwanda and Kenya) and India (Telangana and a Centre of Excellence in Haryana). Over the next three years, our global reach is planned to continue to grow driven by our team of more than 60 researchers and experts and our industry leaders, international development agencies and governments partners.

Alongside the physical Centres and SPOKEs, the programme is underpinned by this website and an online knowledge and training platform to provide a central access point for all news, content, tools and training materials. This is a place where a wide variety of relevant stakeholders can convene to learn, discuss, share and teach.  Register for free and start collaborating now.

To support the global vision, we have created an umbrella brand for the programme – the Clean Cooling Network – under which each project will retain its national identity and country-led approach. Our objective is to promote cooling and cold-chain as critical national infrastructure and provide the tools, knowledge, training and support to deliver inclusive, equitable and future-proofed solutions with minimum environmental impact, ensuring sustainability and resilience in a fast warming and changing world.

Professor Toby Peters, University of Birmingham

Clean Cooling vision infographic
Clean Cooling Network - Our vision explained

Our Goal

An integrated programme to accelerate the deployment of sustainable cold-chain solutions in developing markets at scale with fit-for-market business models and clean technologies.

  • Develop, test, demonstrate and deploy viable pathways considering the overall system, from farm to fork and manufacturer to patient
  • Collaborative research on future-proof, localised solutions
  • Build awareness on the benefits of sustainable cold chain
  • Provide business assistance and training to small-holder farmers and rural communities- paying attention to gender and social inclusion/exclusion dynamics
  • Build the skilled workforce for installation and maintenance
  • Exchange lessons learned from real-world applications throughout Africa
CCN Communities

Join The Clean Cooling Community of Practice for Mapping the food system - Towards efficient post-harvest management.

It explores the fresh produce supply chain, identifying the most critical loss points, and aims to develop strategic interventions to mitigate these inefficiencies.

The CoP is led by Dr. Carol Verheecke-Vaessen and Dr. Tobi Fadiji at Cranfield University.

By Degrees Magazine

Expert comment and analysis from The Clean Cooling Network, in long-read magazine format.

By Degrees Magazine aims to promote, explore and stimulate debate around the role of cooling as critical infrastructure, ensuring societal well-being, economic stability, and public health; adapting and mitigating the impacts of extreme heat to climate change.

Clean Cooling Academy

Applications are open for the following new courses at CCN:

Refrigeration Technicians Course
18th August to 23rd September (Non-consecutive weeks)

Train the Trainer
6th October 2025 (10 x Non-consecutive weeks)

Foundation in Cold-chain
13th October to 17th October, HACE, Haryana, India

Essentials in Cold-chain systems
15th to 29th September (Fully online - Self-paced) 

Train the Trainer Student

Thanks to ACES, I am more equipped to drive sustainable transformation in Rwanda’s agriculture sector. I highly encourage other professionals to join these life-changing programmes.

Picture of the Week

Check out our "Cool" Picture of the Week

Picture of the Week: Food Transportation

This image is taken by one of the participants during the Visual Storytelling Course. The assignment that day focused on food transportation.

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Network News

The latest from the global Clean Cooling community

Innovation in Postgraduate Education – The Africa Center of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-Chain’s...

The higher education sector is undergoing rapid changes as the need for access to learning opportunities has never been greater, new skill sets are required to support the technologies and challenges of the future, and mechanisms for engaging students...

Launch of the First Clean Cooling Academy online course

The new e-learning course, “Essentials in Cold-Chain Systems”, has been jointly developed by experts from CCN/ACES and the University of Birmingham, London South Bank, and Cranfield University.

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Events & Webinars

Exclusive lectures and workshops from the Clean Cooling team and partners.

Conference - A Cool World

Clean cooling and cold-chain systems are pivotal to sustainable development, food and health security, and economic prosperity - particularly in the Global South. Yet, despite the critical urgency, clean cooling and cold-chain solutions are neither being financed nor implemented at the required scale or in a holistic and inclusive manner on-the-ground. What barriers are holding back progress, a

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