I've been thinking about this for awhile but right now I'm not in any position to do anything about it. :-( No place to put things.
At one time I thought about refurbishing some old chest freezers like this and selling them to a place in town that sells solar panels.

There's a refrigerator I saw the other day on HGTV. It was like a chest freezer but it had three drawers instead of the top lid.
Each drawer acted like its own chest so the cold wouldn't spill out. It made it allot easier to get food.

Simply put, it'd be too "inconvenient" for most Americans. Having to bend over and reach down for what you want is more trouble than most folks want to tolerate. People want to be inconvenienced as little as possible. People buy 'fridges with ice makers in the door, not because it's energy efficient, but because all they got to do is put their glass there, and the 'fridge does the rest.

Also, electric is cheap. Nearly all 'fridges cost less than $100/year to operate, some as little as $40/year. While energy efficiency may be considered when purchasing, it takes a back seat to features and conveniences.

So, who's left for the market? Those who can't get commercial power and produce there own (limited) supply. That market is quite small, and not widely profitable. (despite commercially built, specialized equipment, built in limited quantity as being quite expensive)

http://www.instructables.com/id/Portable-12V-Air-Conditioner---Cheap-and-easy!/

Hmm..

How does the chest freezer-fridge compare to a Sunfrost?

100W/h -day @240v AC
compared to
320W/h day @ 12V DC X 103% for inverter losses (Xantrex).

A great teacher and electrician explained electrical wiring and systems to me in plain english.
Still didn't get it. I can teach you how to design a subsonic plane but I can't wire a toaster.
Anyone...anyone?

-Rick

. . . . . . irregardless of voltage or current type. So, that makes the chest freezer/fridge three times more efficient than the Sunfrost. But in either case, they are both very efficient.

Wimpy Hand held Hair Dryer 6’ cord 300 Watts 115 Volts 2.6 Amps standard Wire size 14AWG from the source 24 wire feet away. 8 cents per foot 1 conductor at least 2 required 16 cents per foot.

Wimpy DC Hand Held Hair dryer 6’ cord 300 Watts 12 Volts 25 Amps #2 AWG wire size from the source 24 feet away. Wire price $1.26 per foot 1 conductor at least 2 required $2.52 per foot.

Watts = the amount of water delivered
Amps = the flow or force of the water
Volts = the diameter of the hose

DC Distribution system, think in terms of a fire hose
AC Distribution system, think in terms of a garden hose

To gain even more perspective
Look at the cord size on a toaster oven. Your Toaster oven requires 1800 watts to toast bread.
Look at your car battery cables. Your car requires 1800 watts to crank it.

So yes a watt is a watt but Amps or ampacity (size of the water hose) don’t play.

Just for comparison By my calculations "that dog don't hunt"
How does the chest freezer-fridge compare to a Sunfrost? 8 Cu Foot $899 ned two to satisfy my wife 16 Cu Foot $1798 7.2 Kwh

100W/h -day @240v AC X 365 days 3.6Kw/h a year How mush does this bad boy cost? I checked -> 8 Cu Foot $899 need two to satisfy my wife 16 Cu Foot $1798 7.2 Kwh. Lets not forget the freezer PRICE: $1,700.00 size unspecified energy usage unspecified.

Total system $3498 cost for a smaller/fridge freezer comparable to the normal store bought unit.
24' foot of wire $60.48
Batteries $152
charge controller, solar panels wind generators cost? Ball park low end estimate $12,000

so for $15,000 you can save $40 a year so in 360 ($600 factored in for cost of normal fridge) years this system is paid for assuming it doesn't break...
Like I said that dog don't hunt. If you can connect to the grid for lets say $2500 then it would only take 297 years to get paid back.

18 Cu Foot fridge/top freezer 479 Kwh year energy usage, annual operating cost $40 cost to purchase around $600

Why do we have a grid?
lets look at 1000 homes for comparison
1000 wood stoves for heat How much green house gas is emitted?

One Hydro electric generator cost shared by 1000 green house gas emitted virtually none. Ok so some sideways salamanders lost their habitat, what about the lost habitat for all the fire wood that was cut.

No water for Hydro use coal I'm willing to bet one coal plant for 1000 homes emits less green house gases than 1000 wood stoves.

By the way I'm changing careers. I'm going to start selling for "Energy Wise Solutions" anyone buying?