The only battery power fridge0 needs is enough to turn it off cleanly when the solar panels stop producing -- a few minutes of power instead of days -- and a small amount for its computer control.

What does 'turn it off cleanly' mean here? I always thought fridges just turned on or off continuously depending on the temperature and thermostat setting. It's just a motor and a compressor, it doesn't need a special shutdown procedure, does it?