Anas Souri

A Moroccan scientist who developed affordable solar solutions for off-grid communities

Anas Souri (born 1985) is a renewable energy innovator whose solar refrigeration systems are transforming healthcare access in sub-Saharan Africa. As co-founder of SolarFreeze, he created the first solar-powered medical refrigerator that operates without batteries, maintaining temperatures between 2°C-8°C using phase-change materials. This breakthrough has enabled vaccine storage in remote areas where electricity is unreliable.

His journey began with childhood experiences in rural Morocco, where he witnessed vaccine spoilage due to power outages. After earning a PhD in materials science from MIT (2012), he developed the patented thermal battery system that absorbs heat during the day and releases it at night. Deployed in 14 African countries, his devices have preserved over 500,000 vaccine doses since 2016.

Souri's UNICEF partnership expanded access to his technology, reducing childhood mortality rates by 30% in pilot regions. His TED Talk 'Sunlight as Medicine' has 1.8M views, and Time Magazine named him a 'Next Generation Leader' in 2020. Currently scaling operations through public-private partnerships, he's proving that clean energy innovations can directly save lives in underserved communities.