Interactive Primary Newsletter 36 Sun and Wind (Renewable Energy Special)

Let’s get cooking! Energy from the sun can be used in many ways to save the Earth’s finite fuel resources. In some areas, cooking is done over wood fires which, apart from the pollution caused by the smoke, results in trees around villages being cut down and not replaced. However, solar-powered devices can be used to cook food or sterilise water. The light from the sun is reflected from a shiny dish to a central point (focus). Any object placed at this point will get very hot, very quickly. (BEWARE PLACING FINGERS ANYWHERE NEAR THE FOCUS). Where else can you see dishes shaped like this? The story of the village of Bysanivaripalle in the Indian region of Andra Pradesh provides a “shining”(!) example of how changes in traditional cooking practices can make a huge difference to both carbon dioxide emissions and the local environment. This village of 36 families has been provided with 26 solar cookers by an Austrian charitable organisation. The cookers are used to fry chips, roast peanuts, bake cakes and biscuits as well as cooking more traditional foods. Using the cookers means the village is saving 72 tonnes of firewood, (equivalent to almost 6000 kg of LPG) and cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 104 tonnes a year. If this type of enterprise was extended on a large scale it would make a huge difference to global emissions. Fig.11 shows a commercial solar cooker. Figure 11 - Commercial solar cooker © CCAT@humboldt.edu DIY solar cooker