On October 29-30, 2024, the AGRI-COOL consortium held its first face-to-face meeting in Enschede, Netherlands, marking six months of collaborative progress. Hosted by project coordinator Twente University (UT), this milestone event gathered all consortium members to review project updates and discuss the roadmap ahead.
The two-day meeting opened with UT outlining essential project procedures, including legal, contractual, financial, and administrative guidelines. The coordinator emphasized upcoming deliverable deadlines, as well as the protocols for report reviews and submissions. Each work package leader presented their team’s achievements and future plans, ensuring all partners were aligned on AGRI-COOL’s objectives for the next phase of the project. 
Participants also toured UT’s cutting-edge facilities, including the Wind Tunnel and Thermal Science labs within the Thermal and Fluid Engineering Department, offering a glimpse into the advanced research resources supporting AGRI-COOL’s innovative goals.
Key project advancements were showcased, including the progress on climate and site data collection baselines necessary for the design of AGRI-COOL systems. The University of Padua (UNIPD), responsible for the ice-based Thermal Energy Storage (TES), presented their development of an experimental and numerical parametric optimization model. This innovative ice TES system will be integrated into AGRI-COOL’s off-grid, positive-cold chamber, designed with a sophisticated smart control system to be constructed and commissioned by GWS.
To tailor future training sessions, a preliminary survey has been circulated among farmers, revealing specific knowledge gaps. This survey will soon expand to a broader audience, including technicians and engineers, to ensure educational content aligns closely with industry needs.
Partners also discussed strategies to promote AGRI-COOL through communication support provided by the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR). With the project’s website set to launch soon, interested parties can stay informed by subscribing to the newsletter for updates.
Stay tuned for the latest in sustainable cooling technology, AGRI-COOL is leading the way in innovation!
