September 10, 2010
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Solar Cooking

Technology Name:

Solar Cooking

Date Introduced in the market:

Records of solar cooking date back centuries. In 1764, a French inventor Horace de Saussure produced temperatures over 105% Celsius in a cork lined box covered with glass and aimed at the sun. Current solar cooking technology became commercially available in the 1950s.

Maturity of the technology:

Commercially available

Type of energy that can be produced (i.e. thermal, electrical):

Thermal

Typical applications:

Cooking, food drying and dehydrating, distillation, medical equipment sterilization, food processing, incubation, water sterilization.

Expected Pay-Back:

Solar ovens can reduce the consumption of gas, wood, or electricity for cooking. Pay back will depend on the fuel being offset, climate and other factors. Typically, payback on a solar cooker is 1-5 years. Often, the use of solar cookers brings additional benefits such as access to clean medical equipment, local employment, etc.

Range of possible dimensions and sizing considerations for the system:

Solar cookers range in size from small ultra-light portable backpacking ovens to large village scale ovens capable of cooking 1200 meals a day.
There are numerous designs available for solar cookers. Common solar cooker designs are box ovens, parabolic cookers and panel cookers. Appropriate size and design is determined by factors such as climate, solar exposure, desired cooking capacity and desired temperature.

Range of performance of the technology per unit installed:

Performance is determined by design, materials used, climate, solar exposure.
Solar box ovens typically reach temperatures up to 180 degrees celsius, wheras parabolic cookers can reach temperatures up to 250 degress celsius. A parabolic cooker with a diameter of 14 feet has a production capacity of approximately 600 watts.

Range of costs per unit of energy and per system (installed, and maintenance costs):

Solar cookers range from those that can be made for a few dollars out of readily available materials such as tin foil and cardboard to cookers made with high tech materials and designs for thousands of dollars.

Design, Installation, Maintenance & Operation of Solar cooker:
Design of a solar cooker:

Expertise/knowledge required can include: basic solar heating principles, general construction.

Installation of a solar cooker:

Skills required can include: basic solar heating and cooking principles

Maintenance of a solar cooker:

Most solar cookers are low maintenance. Maintenance will depend on the design of the cooker. For example, it is important to keep the glazing on a solar box oven clean and to keep the reflectors of all cookers clean and free of dust.

Operation of a solar cooker:

A solar cooker can be operated with simple instructions and understanding of basic solar heating and cooking principles.

Training for solar cooker building:

Minimal training is required. For further information see links below or consult product manufacturers.

Range of Operational & Maintenance requirements (ex: how much labour time per week for how many people):

Operational maintenance requirements are minimal but depend on the cooker design. Most cookers should be adjusted throughout the day as the sun moves through the sky. Some come with automatic solar trackers.

Potential problems or challenges:
System performance:

Some solar cookers will function on partly cloudy days but direct sunlight is required for a cooker to work. Panel and parabolic cookers do not function well in windy conditions.

Permitting:

Generally, there should be no permits required for a solar cooker.

Range of warranties and life expectancy of the systems:

Warranties: Commercial cookers come with a range of warrantees. Check with retailer.
Life Expectancy: Life expectancy is dependent on design. Expected life of the design and technology is related to the upfront cost and quality of the materials used. Most commercial solar cookers should last at least 20 years.

Solar Resources Assessment:

Site specific solar resources can be measured by visual techniques and inspection or through commercially available solar site analysis tools. The U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory has extensive solar radiation resource information at http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/. Links to Canadian solar radiation data can be found at http://www.canren.gc.ca/resou_asse/index.asp?CaId=55&PgId=452

Canadian Solar Resource maps are available at: http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/ and https://glfc.cfsnet.nfis.org/

Inputs and outputs for the technology:
Outputs:

Solar cookers use the sun's energy to directly produce heat.

Inputs:
Sun:

A southern exposure unobstructed from the hours of 10 AM to 3 PM is preferred.

Electricity:

Some solar ovens include an electric fan for increased air circulation. Simple installations use a DC fan and a PV panel attached to the oven.

Potential combination with other energy systems (hybrids and combination systems):

Wall cookers: Designs are available for solar ovens that are built right into a house building.

Photovoltaic (solar electric):

PV panels can be used to run a fan to circulate air for a convection type oven.

Links to other sources of information:

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Created: 02-14-2008
Modified: 03-31-2008