Ahmedabad, May 5: FOR those who can’t boast of a regular supply of electricity, especially in far-flung rural areas, there’s some cool piece of news. Here’s a refrigerator that’s powered not by electricity, but by a bicycle.

‘Mycooler’, an innovation of Indian Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ISHRAE), is all set to storm the rural markets.

Aimed at providing areas that don’t have electricity supply, ‘Mycooler’, jointly developed G V Rao, Navaneeth and P G David, engineers associated with ISHRAE.

‘Mycooler’ can store milk, fruits, vegetables, beverages and medicines at a minimum of 8 degree Centigrade for short duration and the rear wheel of a bicycle attached to the refrigerator runs the turbine.

A unit has been priced at Rs 11,000 which, Rao said, will decrease once the sales pick up.

Rao said, “A bicycle provides power to ‘Mycooler’ which will prove useful for rural areas without proper electricity.” He added, “The idea took wings at the meeting at Mysore of Institute of Engineers’ Kolkata chapter. Mycooler was developed in three months’ time.”

At an ambient temperature of 35 degrees Celsius, when the bicycle is petalled at the speed of 16kmph for 20 minutes, the attached turbine of the refrigeration box begins to move bringing down the temperature to 8 degrees Celsius. “This temperature will stay for up to three hours after which one has to pedal again for three to five minutes,” he said.

“One can preserve fruits, vegetables and medicines, but the fridge has limited capacity. Despite that, it is useful for the village set-up,” added Rao. The product was unviewed by on Friday by ISHRAE’s Ahmedabad chapter which is also organising Design Innovations in Refrigeration Industry.