introduction to solar cooking

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The Problem


Half the world’s people must burn wood or dried dung to cook their food.

Nearly 1.2 billion people, a fifth of the world’s population, do not have access to clean drinking water.

Over 1 million children die yearly because of un-boiled drinking water.

Wood cut for cooking purposes contributes to the 16 million hectares of forest destroyed annually.

Half the world’s population is exposed to indoor air pollution, mainly the result of burning solid fuels for cooking and heating.


Box cooker

Among easiest and most popular to build and use

Lid of a cardboard box reflects light onto pots under glass

Advantage of slow, even cooking of large quantities of food


Solar Funnel Cooker


Safe, inexpensive and easy to use

Concentrates sunlight into a dark pot in a plastic bag

Combines best of parabolic and box cookers

Anyone can make one

Parabolic Cooker

Highly focused light and high temperatures

Cooks nearly as fast as a conventional oven

Costly and complicated to make and use – have to turn frequently to follow the sun

Potentially hazardous-not recommended