EPIC Deploy, a new initiative launched by Italy’s Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE) in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Cool Coalition, has opened its first Call for Proposals, offering grants to deploy sustainable, energy-efficient and climate-resilient cooling solutions in Brazil, Morocco, Tunisia, Kenya and Ethiopia. Applications are open now and close on 31 October 2026. BASE provides technical and grant-management support to UNEP for the design and implementation of the funding window.

An answer to the growing global challenge of sustainable cooling

EPIC Deploy is thought of as a response to the rise in temperatures worldwide: in a context of heatwaves more frequent than ever and fast urbanisation, cooling is becoming a vital component of public health, safety, productivity and economic resilience. More than 1.1 billion people worldwide currently lack access to adequate cooling services, and according to UNEP’s Global Cooling Watch 2025 report, if current trends continue, cooling demand could nearly triple by 2050, pushing cooling-related greenhouse gas emissions to almost double their 2022 levels unless more efficient and sustainable solutions are adopted at scale.

EPIC Deploy aims to address this challenge with an integrated approach that combines technological innovation, environmental sustainability, investment and public-private partnerships, fostering scalable and replicable cooling solutions that can be adapted to different territorial contexts. The initiative builds on the outcomes of the Global Cooling Pledge, launched at COP28 and endorsed by Italy, as well as on the commitments set out in the 2024 G7 Turin Communiqué, contributing to establishing sustainable cooling as a strategic pillar of international climate action.

The BASE Foundation immediately endorsed the Global Cooling Pledge when it was announced at COP28 in December 2023 as a supporting non-state actor. In this role, BASE commits to aligning itself with this global movement and dedicates its long-standing expertise in climate finance and innovative business models to support the practical implementation of the pledge’s objectives. 

Over its 25-year history, BASE has driven market-transforming cooling solutions globally through key initiatives, including the 2019 launch of the Cooling-as-a-Service (CaaS) model, which supported the deployment of the pay-per-use service for more sustainable cooling, enabling customers to access such technologies with no upfront cost while incentivising technology providers to optimise energy efficiency and equipment maintenance. This model was subsequently integrated with digital tools to create the “Your Virtual Cold Chain Assistant” (Your VCCA) programme and the Coldtivate smartphone app, which significantly reduced post-harvest food loss and raised incomes for smallholder farmers across India, Nigeria, and Guinea-Bissau. As part of the SET Alliance, the work to roll out the Cooling-as-a-Service model is continuing in a global effort to accelerate the uptake of cleaner energy equipment through servitisation. In 2026, BASE was awarded the Zayed Sustainability Prize in the Energy category to scale its efforts deploying CaaS worldwide.

Furthermore, BASE addresses financial barriers on the consumer side through mechanisms like ECOFRIDGES in West Africa, allowing salaried workers to purchase energy-efficient cooling appliances through manageable wage or utility bill deductions in multiple instalments. BASE’s involvement in EPIC Deploy marks a continuity to this dedicated work to enable the provision of accessible, affordable and efficient cooling around the globe.

With this first Call for Proposals, EPIC Deploy will support the development and implementation of pilot projects in high-potential contexts, promoting the adoption of innovative, low-environmental-impact cooling solutions. Concretely, the pilots will aim to improve the efficiency of cooling infrastructure with particular emphasis on cold chains, urban cooling systems and applications across productive sectors.

By awarding grants to consortia, the initiative will also strengthen cooperation among public institutions, the private sector, the scientific community and international partners. In parallel, it hopes to facilitate access to investment opportunities, financing instruments and public-private partnerships through the piloting of effective solutions in new contexts.

What the Call for Proposals supports

The Call will fund pilot projects across two priority areas: sustainable cooling in the tertiary sector, including hospitals, universities, schools and other public facilities, and sustainable cooling in industry and the cold chain, spanning agri-food value chains, logistics platforms and industrial refrigeration.

Selected pilots are expected to combine mature, near-commercial technologies with sustainable financing models and robust public-private partnerships, while also addressing the legal and regulatory frameworks needed for their results to be replicated elsewhere. Grants range from USD 200,000 to 1.0 million per project, and applicants are required to secure a minimum of 20 percent in co-financing. Eligible applicants are international consortia of public, private and/or research entities, with at least one partner based in one of the five target countries. Full eligibility criteria, application documents and guidance are available on the EPIC Deploy website.

Part of a bigger chilling effort

EPIC Deploy is one of the concrete initiatives supporting the wider goals of the EPIC (Enabling Pledge Implementation for Cooling) Facility, which UNEP’s Cool Coalition set up to help Global Cooling Pledge signatories turn their commitments into action. The Facility’s broader work centres on technical assistance and policy support, and EPIC Deploy adds a direct funding window to that effort, putting resources behind pilot projects that can demonstrate tangible impact and provide a model for further investment in sustainable cooling.

What it means for BASE: a continuation of its work on funding window implementation

EPIC Deploy marks a continuation of BASE’s growing involvement in supporting the implementation of funding windows for climate and development programmes, a role that was marked by the success of the 3DEN Initiative, delivering USD 21 million to pilots across 8 countries. This endeavour now extends more specifically to a landmark initiative focused on sustainable cooling.

In the context of the initiative, BASE provides technical and grant-management support to UNEP across the full funding cycle, a role comparable in scope to the one it took on for 3DEN. BASE designed and now manages the Call for Proposals itself, having drafted the application framework, eligibility rules and budget templates that consortia use to apply. 

Once proposals are submitted, BASE leads their evaluation and due diligence, assessing shortlisted consortia on their technical readiness, financial robustness, environmental and social safeguards, and legal compliance, before moving successful applicants into grant contracting. Its involvement continues well after contracts are signed, as BASE monitors selected projects through implementation, tracking progress against the milestones and reporting each pilot submits over the course of the initiative.

BASE and the UNEP communications team also work jointly on the initiative’s outreach and knowledge-sharing activities. This includes developing site-level case studies and other knowledge material such as articles and social media posts as pilots move forward, helping the results of individual projects benefit sustainable cooling efforts well beyond the five countries where they are implemented.

How to apply

Eligible consortia interested in applying can find full details, application documents and guidance on the EPIC Deploy website. The Call for Proposals closes on 31 October 2026.