Solar Cooker and Solar Oven – An Overview

Solar Cooker and Solar Oven – An Overview Of all the many ways to prepare food, solar cooking/baking seems like the least controversial. Think about it; boiling kill’s nutrients, frying clogs your arteries, microwaves and ovens are radioactive, and if you decide to go raw, both your digestive and immune systems will have their hands full.

While there is no doubt that solar cooking has its drawbacks, the idea of preparing clean, nutrient-filled food that neither costs a fortune in energy bills nor adds to the ever increasing problem of air pollution (by releasing fossil fuels) is quite appealing. And this is why solar cookers and solar ovens are topic of interest.

Even though some solar cookers and ovens might be considered new-age technology, they may very well explain how the early man got around to roasting and baking before fire came into play. Despite its (probable) early discovery, it wasn’t until 1767 that Horace de Saussure made the concept of ‘solar-baking’ popular with his debut design of the solar oven. More than two centuries later, the world of sun-cooked food has greatly advanced and it is still unraveling –

What is a Solar Cooker?

A solar cooker is a cooking device made up of a collection of solar cells that trap sunlight energy and direct it towards cooking, baking or sterilizing food. The devices vary in size and function/abilities, but all perform the similar task of using solar energy to process food in different ways. Ultimately, the cooker (and its processes) aims to maintain the original nutrients in the food being cooked and reduce the cost of energy as well as the magnitude of air pollution caused by other methods of cooking, How Does Solar Cooking Work?

Even though solar cooking (purportedly) works by using solar energy to cook food, you might be surprised to learn that the sun’s heat isn’t what is at play in solar cooker.

Sunlight radiation generates energy which is the result of variable magnetic and electric fields. Similar to the warmth that you feel when the sun touches your skin, the sun interacts with the molecules of the device which then generates the high temperatures that are needed for cooking.

Quite simply, the ray from the sun strikes the device and causes activity, so both the sunlight and the cookers material have equal roles to play where solar cooking is concerned.

Types of Solar Cookers There are various types of solar cookers depending on design and use – 

The Box Solar Cooker:

Box cookers most often considered the most basic type of solar cookers. They are designed with an open-top box, reflective material and transparent glass or plastic that usually sits on top of the box. The reflectors are positioned outside the box and are made of flat metallic/mirrored material capable of conducting heat, while the box is designed such that it can be closed in to seal-up the heat trapped.

To cook food using the box solar cooker, the pot is placed at the bottom of the box which is unusually painted black to better help heat absorption. Sunlight enters through the metallic/glass top and is absorbed though the reflective material. Much like an oven, the box traps the sunlight energy, generating heat and temperatures of up to 300 degrees F – as expected, the food cooks. 

The Panel Solar Cooker

This solar cooker works by using reflective aluminum panels to direct sunlight towards a pot and generate heat. Although they are more frequently used in tropical regions or during warmer months, they are popular for being one of the most versatile types of solar cookers since the heat produced is mostly dependent on the sizes of the panel, thus, making it possible to cook food in both low and high temperatures.

Despite its popularity however, frequent sun exposure to the aluminum often causes them to oxidize in a matter of weeks, so a solar cooker with stainless steel panels might just be your best bet for aesthetic purposes – however, darker surfaces are known to heat faster.

Whatever the case, you’ll get at least 200 degrees F with which to cook whatever you please. 

The Parabolic Solar Cooker

These solar cookers are popular for reaching temperatures that are high enough for frying and baking. The parabolic solar cooker is a popular pick among campers and works with a slightly more complicate design that aims to use curved and reflective surfaces to direct sunlight towards a small area, thus generating heat.

In this design, the pot sits at the middle of all the reflectors and is slightly elevated above the bottom of the cooker which is where all the light is focused. The center becomes

significantly hot and its molecules generate enough heat to move upwards and the reach the bottom of the pot which is right above.

Because of its ability to reach up to 400 degrees F, this design poses some safety concerns – especially since the reflection can be damaging to the eyes and its potential to cook quickly might result in charred food. 

The Vacuum Tube Design (By GoSun)

Okay, this solar cooker by GoSun is a personal favorite. Besides being the most portable of all the solar cooker designs available, it was also a 2016 winner of the popular CES innovation award. The GoSun solar cooker is designed with glass vacuum tube which is flanked in various directions by parabolic reflectors. With the vacuum holding the heat and the parabolic reflectors trapping it from the sun, the cookers temperatures can reach as high as 550F – the perfect grilling temperature.

Naturally is design doesn’t accommodate large quantities of food being cooked at a time, but the GoSun Grill can be preordered and accommodates larger food quantities – much like the standard gas grill.

The Perks of Solar Cooking Apart from being one of the cheapest cooking options available, solar cooking eliminates the need for a fire – which translates to cleaner air, eliminates food exposure to radioactive waves and uses energy generated by a renewable energy source.

With more than 1 million people dying from air pollution yearly, several thousand from cancer, and a few others for lack of a means to sterilize water, solar energy may very well be the future of cooking.

While the major drawback of solar cooking is that it is viable for tropical countries/states, it solves the problem of pasteurizing contaminated water in rural areas and reduces the likelihood of deforestation due to firewood making. Overall, there is nothing quite as convenient as simply going outside and using the sun when the alternative involves expensive fuels and radioactive exposure.

Speeding Up Your Solar Cooker For some solar cooker designs (like the parabolic solar cooker) you are more likely to worry about the food cooking too fast than too slow. If this isn’t the case, you might want to look for ways to optimize your solar cooker’s function. Here are a few steps you can take towards achieving the best possible solar cooking –

For Box Cookers 

Use Black Pots or Clear Jars

It is a long established fact that black pots/pans provide the best insulation when cooking with solar energy. If these aren’t available and there is no black paint with which to coat the utensils, your next best bet would be to use clear jars (typically the type used in canning).

To avoid possibility of explosion however, ensure that the lids are not tightly covered. 

Poke Holes in Your Box

This is especially useful for box cookers with glass reflective covers. The holes allow for the easy evaporation of condensation on the glass after cooking. Allowing condensed water to remain on the glass will likely make its reflective functions counterproductive. Also remember to cover the holes using corks while cooking. 

Make a Reflector as Large as the Lid

With your reflector as large as the lid (and not just the size of the opening), you can optimize the concentration of solar energy being trapped, making more heat available during cooking. This will definitely come in handy while cooking during low sunlight days or in generally humid areas.

For Panel Cookers 

Enclose your Pots/Jars in Oven Cooking Bags

Apart from painting your cooking utensils black or using a clear jar, you can optimize the heat trapped by putting the pots or jars in oven cooking bags that will help to concentrate the heat and make up for the condensation that might block the sunlight’s penetration. 

Position Your Cooker With The Sun’s Movement In Mind

Chances are, the sun will be making quite a few movements over the course of the day. If you intend to leave your cooking unattended, your best chance at getting optimum solar energy is to position your cooker in the direction that the sun is likely to face in the next hour or two.

Just a side note, panel cookers are known for making amazing soups and stocks.

Solar Cooking Without the Sun The most important point to note about solar cooking in winter or humid days is that, the heat of the sun can aid cooking but isn’t necessarily principal when it comes to solar cooking. No matter how cold or overcast it gets, the sun is likely to rise and set in order to provide illumination – the light that the sun provides is what is principal to solar cooking.

When light hits your reflective material, it ultimately causes its molecules to react and generate heat – while cold or humid days do not favor solar cooking, they certainly cannot deter it completely (at least, not in isolation) Here are some points to note when solar cooking in winter or overcast days – 

Outdoor temperature can only influence solar cooking to some extent. What will really count in the grand scheme of things is the quality of your solar cooker.

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Where winter sun isn’t particularly abundant, consider keeping your cooking in small batches of food at a time.

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Solar box cookers are your best bet in cooking on days with low sunlight. This is because, they are usually more insulated than other designs and are easier to incline toward the direction of the sun.

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The sun typically moves more frequently across the sky on overcast or winter days – solar cooking at this time would necessitate frequent turning of your solar cooker.

The Solar Oven

A solar oven is basically a solar cooker – at least by solar cooking standards. They simply harness sunlight energy and channel it towards cooking food, baking or pasteurizing. They are economical, efficient and simple devices that are significantly useful in underdeveloped countries or lowering your energy footprint.

Is there a Difference between Solar Cookers and Solar Ovens?

The argument about whether or not solar ovens are different from solar cookers is no doubt a popular. The question has its roots in the definitions ascribed to conventional cookers and ovens. Cookers (or stoves) usually consist of heating plate or hobs while the oven is usually the insulated compartment often built into the cooker but aimed at performing a different function.

In solar cooking, the rules of conventional cooking devices do not apply, however, the parabolic solar cooker has often been argued to be the ‘solar oven’ of solar cookers. This proves a little confusing in the context of conventional cooker and oven, especially since it is difficult to associate a reflective dish to an enclosed oven.

Overall, we can agree that it is all solar cooking semantics when it comes to solar cooker and solar ovens. The two terms can easily be used interchangeably.

Before Buying a Solar Cooker/Oven Like with other devices, purchasing a solar cooker is a slippery slope. Because the market is flooded with various options, it is important to very keenly examine the features that are most ideal before making a choice. Here is what you should look out for – 

Portability/Weight

The weight of your device will basically determine its maneuverability and versatility. While a cooker that is too light might easily succumb to wind, a cooker that is too heavy might prove to be a burden during movement. It might be important to consider a cooker with foldable features such that they can be easily reduced in size when not in use. 

Ease of Assembly

Nobody likes a device that is hard to assemble. Take note however that some panels require some sort of modification and how comprehensive the manual is should influence whether or not you make the purchase. 

Availability of Spare Parts

Ultimately, you want a cooker which you aren’t afraid will go bad – because, at some point, it might break down. Your safest bet is to purchase something made by a well known manufacturer that won’t be hard to fix depending on the circumstance 

Leveling Feature

In order to get the most out of your solar cooker, the reflective area that usually traps light must have enough width sufficient breath and width. One way to optimize the ability of the cooker to trap sunlight is to purchase a cooker that accommodates the leveling feature. This feature allows the cooker to be adjusted to a suitable angle from which to trap sufficient sunlight.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, with all they stand to offer, solar cooker/oven’s might be the future of cooking. Looking at how far solar energy has come in the last few decades, we dare say that tomorrow might just be lurking around the corner.

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