Telangana Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-Chain has launched - a novel initiative for promoting sustainable cooling innovation and accelerating the deployment of energy-efficient refrigeration for food and vaccine supply chains across India.
The centre is a joint initiative between the Government of Telangana (Telangana State Trade Promotion Corporation), Centre for Sustainable Cooling (CSC), University of Birmingham, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the GMR Group.
It was opened today by Hon'ble Minister for IT and Industries, Shri K T Rama Rao at the GMR Innovex Campus near GMR Airport, Hyderabad.
The centre is the outcome of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Government of Telangana and the University of Birmingham in 2022. The University of Birmingham will serve as knowledge partners and help develop the centre into a state-of-the-art research and innovation hub to deploy needs-driven and equitable system-level cooling and cold-chain solutions in Telangana and India.
Speaking on the occasion, Principal Secretary Jayesh Ranjan said: “The Telangana Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling is a significant step forward in improving food and health security and boost exports. The Centre’s work will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce food losses, enhance farmers income and promote sustainable development.”
The centre was inaugurated in the presence of H.E. Gareth Owens, British Deputy High Commissioner in Hyderabad, Professor Toby Peters, Director, Centre of Sustainable Cooling, University of Birmingham, Sri M Bikshapathi, Chairman, TSTPC, Sri Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Principle Secretary (IT and Industries), Dr. E. Vishnu Reddy, Special Secretary (Investment Promotion) and JDM, TSPTC, Sri SKG Kishore, Executive Director, GHIAL, Mr Jimmy Washington, Director Sustainability, Carrier Group and other senior officials and industry representatives.