02-02-2012, 04:51 PM
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
