What is a solar cooker?

A solar cooker is a type of solar thermal collector. It “gathers” and traps the Sun’s thermal (heat) energy. Heat is produced when high frequency light (visible and ultraviolet) is converted into low frequency infrared radiation.

How does a solar cooker generate heat?

When they strike matter, whether solid or liquid, all of this energy causes the molecules in that matter to vibrate. They get excited and start jumping around. This activity generates heat. Solar cookers use a couple of different methods to harness this heat.

Does solar cooking require electricity?

Solar cooking does not require electricity. Instead, it uses solar thermal energy to cook food and pasteurize water. Solar cookers can be used anywhere with ample sunlight, making them an ideal choice for cooking in remote areas. They are a free, renewable, and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional cooking methods.

How does solar cooking work?

With solar cooking, you start your meals early in the day and then you relax. At lunch or later in the afternoon or evening, when you are tired after a day of work, the sun will have prepared your food. The solar cooking of foods in solar cookers is done in dark colored pots/containers with lids.

How can solar cooker design improve cooking efficiency?

Solar cooker design continues to evolve and offers better cooking efficiency. There is an increased interest in finding more low cost reflective materials in order to better reorient the sunlight. Polished Metal surfaces have been tried and, although effective, tend to be costly solutions.

Do solar cookers really work?

Solar cookers won't work at all in nighttime or on cloudy days. That means firewood is still a necessity for the sun's off hours. Still, cooking most meals with light instead of wood makes a big dent in the problems facing the fuel-deprived masses.