SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS- FOCUS ON AFRICA 2007 Lustrum - Netherlands Access to clean cooking technology for wealth and health By Stella M. Odaba (Representing Margaret C.A Owino, Regional Director, EA) Solar Cookers International.

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL

Traditional Dancers.

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL Daily lifestyle of most people.

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL Billions of people depend on fuel-wood as a source of cooking energy…..

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL 2.4 billion people suffer from fuel-wood scarcity.

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL CONSEQUENCES OF SCARCITY OF FUEL-WOOD Higher expenditure on the provision of domestic fuels Malnutrition as people prefer quick / easy to cook foods Increase in incidences of water borne diseases, as water might not always be boiled. Daily trips to distant places (often dangerous) where some fuel wood can still be sourced.

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL Increase in respiratory infections due to in-door air pollution

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL Caused by poor forms of fuel e.g. cow-dung, crop residues, etc.

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL Constant anxiety to cooks and a bother to children!

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL THE SOLUTION - SOLAR ENERGY It is not only infinite it is also plentiful in Africa It is clean It is free It is available at the point of use It is non-polluting It does not require complicated drilling and refining Technologies to tap it for different needs – especially for cooking are also available.

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL BEST REGIONS FOR SOLAR COOKING.

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL MODELS OF SOLAR COOKERS. There are many types of solar cookers in the world. The 3 main types are: Box/Oven types Concentrator types Collector combination types

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL FEATURES. The BIGGEST solar cooker can cook for 30,000 people (India) while the smallest can cook from a jam tin. The most powerful cookers can boil a litre of water in minutes while the weakest take longer but can pasteurise water making it safe to drink.

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL THE COOKIT Adopted from Rodger Bernard’s “Salad bowl cooker” Perfected by Barbara Kerr and other SCI educationists and engineers It is the world’s simplest solar cooker

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL THE COOKIT Cont.. It is a flat surface pasted with a shiny reflecting aluminium foil The surface is folded at specific intervals to create angles that reflect more light towards the cooking area.

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL Shiny reflectors capture extra sunlight Fuel: Sunlight Dark surfaces converts sunlight to heat energy Heat trap retains the heat HOW THE COOKIT WORKS

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL HOW THE COOKIT WORKS Cont’ It cooks at 180 o -250 o F ( 82 o -121 o C) It can steam, roast, bake and boil food. It does not burn food It pasteurises drinking water It is clean healthy cooking as the food retains most of the nutrients. You can put two small pots at the same time. Can cook food for up to 8 people

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL ADVANTAGES OF THE COOKIT Light weight, foldable and portable Easy to make from local materials hence can be mass-produced Cheap compared to other types of solar cookers Easy to set up, use and maintain.

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL FIRELESS COOKER

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL Upesi Jiko.

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL WAPI Water Pasteurization Indicator

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL SUCCESSES After 2 successful refugee projects the solutions are now being offered to three other communities in Kenya. Over 4,000 CooKits have been sold at cost Women are at the core of the dissemination They learn to use, they make the cookers, promote its adoption and use and they also offer after sales service. Make and use fireless cookers for when there is no sun or early in the morning Fireless cookers savings range between 20% - 83% Energy saving stoves and conservation practices in the Kitchen also enable savings between 30 – 50%.

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUSTAINABILITY Benefits accruing to users: ECONOMIC: Saving money that would have bought firewood or charcoal. Freeing up women’s time to other income generating activities. Frees up time for young girls to attend school. Smoke free kitchen and clothing enhances social status and appearance. Foods do not burn in CooKits or fireless cookers – less waste.

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL IMPROVING HEALTH Safe drinking water – better child and family health Reduction of smoke related illnesses Foods retain their vitamins enhancing health and nutrition No dangers from open fire accidents Cleaner surrounding air Useful to victims of HIV / AIDS, safe water for ARVs, can cook without much strain.

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL ADDRESSING PERTINENT NEEDS: The use of these technologies saves two tons of wood in a year Solar cooking one meal a day, three times a week, reduces firewood consumption by 1/3. Reduction of green house gases into the atmosphere.

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL OTHER ELEMENTS OF SUSTAINABILITY: Local production using local materials enhances affordability or possession.

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL OTHER ELEMENTS OF SUSTAINABILITY Cont..

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL Concerted efforts to involve the youth and school children means knowledge and skill sustainability in the community.

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL The technologies, while saving hard earned incomes are also a source of income to those who make and promote them. Worsening environmental situation is forcing nations to seek alternatives. Concern over clean in – door air also lead to alternatives

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL EXPANDED APPLICATION. Water related diseases kill a child every 8 seconds and are responsible for over 80% of illness and death in developing nations.

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL It is possible to reduce these by pasteurising water using the CooKit and water pasteurization indicator (WAPI) SCI has been promoting this application in all the projects in Kenya. EXPANDED APPLICATION Cont’

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGES. All the technologies discussed - cannot match the microwave oven and society is geared to faster cooking, mobility etc. Effects of climate change – formerly dryer and sunnier places getting wetter and cloudy. Dependence of solar cookers on sunshine Cost of buying the technology Technology design e.g. one pot at a time verses two or three

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL CONCLUSION The search is not over yet more people need to know and use the above technologies to alleviate their problems. More research to counter the challenges mention above Need for partnerships as the need is enormous.

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL Upesi Stove and Fireless Cooker

SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL THE COOKIT …….END…....