Towards the Commercialization of Solar Ice Makers to Improve Cold Chain Access in Indonesia’s Fisheries Sector

In a recent speech, the President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto highlighted a persistent structural issue facing Indonesia’s coastal economy: the vulnerability of small-scale fishers due to limited access to cold chain infrastructure, such as cold storage, ice factory. Without reliable ice, fishers are often forced to sell their catch immediately at lower prices, reducing both income and sector productivity. Solar-powered ice makers present a practical and scalable solution by converting solar energy into ice production.

As a pathway forward, noting that innovations like solar ice makers can “protect the value of fishermen’s hard work, strengthen coastal economies, and ensure Indonesia fully benefits from its maritime resources.” This article examines how the Solar Ice Maker initiative addresses this challenge and highlights the importance of manufacturing guidelines in enabling large-scale deployment.

Why This Matters

Indonesia’s fisheries sector is a cornerstone of both local livelihoods and the national economy, yet it continues to face a fundamental infrastructure gap: access to reliable cold chain infrastructure for maintaining fish preservation and quality. In many coastal and island regions, particularly in Eastern Indonesia, which are well known as yellowfin tuna production areas—electricity supply is often unreliable, available for less than eight (8) hours per day, or entirely absent. This makes it difficult for fishers to access ice blocks and maintain the quality of their catch. As a result, fish must often be sold immediately after landing at low prices, regardless of market potential.

This leads to significant economic inefficiencies. High-value fish lose quality due to inadequate handling and cooling, disproportionately affecting small-scale fishers and limiting income growth. At a broader level, weak cold chain systems reduce supply quality across the fisheries value chain. According to the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), post-harvest losses in Indonesia’s fisheries sector range from 20% to 35%, equivalent to 75,000–125,000 metric tons annually. Based on a reference price of USD 1.86/kg for skipjack tuna, this represents an estimated economic loss of USD 233 million per year. This represents a significant missed opportunity to fully capitalize on Indonesia’s marine resources.

Addressing this challenge is therefore a strategic priority. Initial implementations of solar ice maker technology in Kupang (East Nusa Tenggara) and West Seram (Maluku), initiated by GIZ Indonesia & ASEAN, demonstrate strong potential. These pilots show that solar-powered ice production can significantly improve cold chain access in remote coastal areas and support small-scale fishers, indicating readiness for commercialization.

How to access this technology

At an early stage of Solar Ice Maker development, GIZ partnered with Selaras Mandiri Teknik/ AIREF as key national cooling manufacture. This collaboration focused on adapting international solar cooling technology developed by ILK Dresden into locally manufacturable solutions, ensuring compatibility with Indonesia’s context, supply chains, and operational conditions. As a result, two solar ice maker systems have been successfully deployed in Indonesia, each representing a different product approach:

Building-integrated systems, designed for fixed infrastructure such as fisheries hubs or cooperatives
Containerized systems, offering modular, transportable solutions suitable for remote and island locations

These dual approaches demonstrate the flexibility of the technology to meet diverse site conditions and market needs.

To enable wider adoption, GIZ has expanded its role beyond technology development to strengthen the supporting ecosystem, particularly within the cooling and refrigeration market. A key instrument in this effort is the Solar Ice Maker Manufacturing Guideline, which provides a structured pathway for developers, manufacturers, and private sector actors to adopt and scale the technology independently.

The guideline functions as a comprehensive technical manual, detailing system components, design principles, and integration processes, including photovoltaic systems, refrigeration units, and control systems. It also establishes standards for safety, performance, and reliability, reducing risks associated with improper installation and operation.

By making this knowledge accessible, the guideline lowers barriers to entry, supports local manufacturing capacity, and accelerates the deployment of renewable-powered cooling solutions. Ultimately, it enables the transition of Solar Ice Makers from pilot projects to commercially scalable products.

Looking Ahead

Looking ahead, the Solar Ice Maker Manufacturing Guideline represents more than a technical document—it is a foundation for long-term transformation in Indonesia’s coastal economies. By enabling local industries, entrepreneurs, and communities to adopt and adapt this technology, it opens the door to widespread access to sustainable cold-chain solutions. With continued collaboration between government, private sector, and international partners, the guideline has the potential to catalyze a new wave of innovation that strengthens fisheries, reduces inequality, and accelerates the clean energy transition. If successfully scaled, it offers a hopeful vision where small-scale fishers are no longer constrained by infrastructure limitations but instead empowered to fully realize the value of their work in a resilient and sustainable maritime economy.

For further reading, see the technical paper below: