Solar Oven Recepies

February 11, 2010 – 6:14 am

Initially, eliminate white or clear plastic material which shields each sides of cover. Do not place cover on floor – it may end up being damaged.

Basic Guidelines

1. Solar cookers function best between 9:00am and 15:00pm whenever the sunlight shines most of each hour. Clear, dry places together with excellent sunlight tend to be best. Begin early, prior to work or whenever your own shadow is actually your own height. Baking period may differ with season, elevation, latitude as well as amount of foodstuff. Whenever the sunlight does not shine, utilize the actual fire wood you preserved when it did.

2. Utilize Only Black Pots Together with Black Covers. Pot covers get extremely warm, 150C. Never permit the cover to contact the transparent plastic-type cover; it can melt. Never contact container using uncovered hands; it may hurt. Don’t utilize pots having plastic-type handles; they may melt. Don’t keep cooker in sunlight without having food inside pots; it may overheat. Wash clear covers using soapy water, absolutely no ammonia.

3. Shield the cooker from the elements as well as wildlife: Locate it wherever sunlight shines almost all day with its back to a wall structure which faces the midday sun. (The wall structure reflects as well as stores the sun energy therefore improving the actual temperature.) In the event that you’re in a rush, keep altering the actual cooker in order to face the sun.

4. Solar cooking requires roughly two times the typical baking period. Meals will not burn or overcook. The actual back of the oven will be the hottest. Suggestion: For a hot oven from the begining, warm a large rock for several hours as well as leave it within oven whilst cooking. Work with a smaller amount compared to normal water in soups as well as stews.

Cooking Ideas For Simple Meals

CORN Meal: Preheat Three cups of water as well as Two cups of corn meal separately within the actual solar cooker. Blend together and cook; mix once again if required. Cornmeal pre-toasted on a good open skillet in the cooker provides a nutty, unique taste.
Rice: Blend 2 cups of water as well as 1 cup of rice along with flavoring, after that cook. For a delicious evening meal include veggies and/or small pieces of meat.

Whole WHEAT BREAD: Blend Three cups of flour (two sorts for variety), One pkt instant yeast, Three tablespoons sugar, Two teaspoons salt, Three tablespoons oil. Make hollow, include 1.5 cups lukewarm water, completely mix, move into well-greased loaf pan, cover, and cook.

MILLET Cake: Blend Four cups of ground millet, One cup sugar, Three cups of milk till mixed and thick; position within baking pan, smear top of cake with butter and cook.

Beans: Soak in water overnight; dispose of this water, cover using fresh water or even stock; cover pot and cook. (Beans require no more time in order to solar cook than with conventional fuel.)

Taters, Onions, Sweet CORN: Cook whole inside pot or even clean black sock! Do not peel or even cut potatoes except if they are for a stew because they may discolor.

Poultry Or Meat: Cook whole or in pieces: Season and include sufficient water in order to cover the pan, cut into pieces in the event that sunlight is weak or even if in a rush. Slow baking tenderizes meat.

Seafood: Place within pot, season, cover using greased paper in order to keep moisture, cover pot, cook.
Veggies: Cook in covered pot along with little or no water.

In order to prevent dysentery, pasteurize baby’s drinking water by heating it to 70C for Fifteen minutes. (A guide will be 1.5 liters/1.5 hours however check temperature, time needed may vary.)

By admin | Posted in Concentrator, Homemade, Solar Cooker, Solar Oven | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Solar Oven

July 18, 2009 – 11:29 am

When you talk about solar energy to someone, think straight away of solar panels. Not all solar power is about solar panels, a parabolic solar oven has a much more practical use when it comes to cooking food.

Parabolic Solar Oven

While searching for ways to reduce the use of electricity, you might encounter solar energy. Solar energy, or solar power, is the use of the sun’s heat to either create energy (electricity), charge a battery, heat water or other fluids, passively heat homes through glass windows, or even cook foods. When solar energy is used to cook lunch it’s often in the form of a solar oven, which can be used in place of firewood and other fuels in order to cook dinner. There are many types of solar ovens, but one popular type is the parabolic solar oven, used over others for many reasons.

A parabolic solar oven collects the sun’s rays by using a mirror surface in a parabola, or curved shape. There are many different styles of parabolic solar ovens available, and there are instructions available to create most of them. The parabolic style allows for lunch to cook at much the same rate as a gas oven, making it more accessible than other outdoor cooking methods such as campfires. Additionally, since the parabolic solar oven doesn’t use wood or other fuel, it’s quicker to start cooking and is fast to set up – whereas with a campfire, you’ve got to spend time collecting firewood, as well as lighting the fire and waiting for it to get hot.

One easy way to start building your own parabolic solar oven is by using a ready-made satellite dish (of course, use one that someone has thrown away). Its parabolic shape is perfect for creating the solar oven, and all you need to do is coat the inside with a reflective substance, like a mirror finish reflective aluminum sheet. Some other people prefer to start their parabolic solar oven with more of a bowl shape, as they believe this allows food inside to cook better and helps to shelter the food from the environment.

Once you have the parabolic solar oven, you need to consider the cooking pot. The pan needs to be of a black color. It also needs to be placed in the correct position. The parabolic solar oven should be directed to the sun. The pan should then be placed on a small stand so that it sits at the point of focus for the oven. If you imagine a magnifying glass, the pot should be located where the glass focuses its beam. Once in position, the oven should work for 60 to 90 minutes. If the meals is not cooked by then or another pan needs heating, the oven should be readjusted to the orientation of the sun.

When using your parabolic solar oven, be sure to always wear UV (ultraviolet) protective sunglasses that are darkly tinted. The reflection off the aluminum that helps to cook the dinner at a quick rate also can burn your retinas quite easily. You’ll also want to make sure to cover your parabolic solar oven whenever it’s not in use – this will prevent accidental flashes of light from blinding people as well as prevent the oven from heating up when it’s not needed. If you follow these simple steps, having your own parabolic solar cooker can be a great benefit to your environmentally conscious lifestyle.

By admin | Posted in Concentrator, Homemade, Solar Cooker, Solar Oven | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (0)

Solar Panel Standalone VS Gridconnected

November 24, 2008 – 10:52 am

We can divide solar panel applications into 2 types:

    • standalone systems
      grid connected systems

    • Grid connected systems has been expanding rapidly since 1990. One driver for this is government rebates and incentive schemes.

    Standalone PV Systems

    Standalone photovoltaically powered systems can be small with peak PV power in the milliwatts to large, with peak PV power in the multi kilowatts. They aren’t connected to an electricity grid. If continuous, uninterrupted power is required, a storage system is needed for night and heavy cloud covered days. The storage required is usually integrated into the system.

    Presently there are a large number of standalone systems, from solar calculators and watches, traffic control systems, to completely off the grid houses, where a PV system powers one or more houses. They can be dc systems with or without batteries, or ac with an inverter.

    Not all standalone off the grid PV systems are powered solely by the sun, some are hybrid systems where a fossil fuel powered generator can switch in and take some or all of the load. Some hybrid systems also use wind, hydro or biomass.

    By admin | Posted in Homemade, Solar Panel | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

    Solar Panels Dissected

    November 18, 2008 – 9:59 pm

    Solar panels are made of silicon, the second most abundant element on earth behind oxygen. However it is mostly found in oxidized form such as silicon dioxide, sand or quartz. In the refining process, carbon and SiO2 is heated to 1800 degrees. This results in 98% pure silicon and as such is not suitable for semiconductor material used in solar panels. Further refining is required. To do this, it is transferred into trichlorosilane, a volatile liquid, then distilled and reduced by reacting it with a hot surface of silicon. Those two processes require a lot of energy, of cause this energy has to be paid for and is one reason why solar panels are expensive.

    The future of solar panels is in the reduction of the silicon component. Meanwhile we see a slow rate of improvement of conversion efficiency, slow reduction of cost and uncertain supply of raw materials.

    By admin | Posted in Solar Panel | Tagged , | Comments (0)

    Solar Panels, Solar Cells, Photovoltaics

    November 12, 2008 – 1:42 am

    Photovoltaics (PV) is the best way to transfer light into electricity. Henri Becquerel in 1839 discovered the Photovoltaic effect. Solar panels incorporate a pn junction semiconductor across which electricity is generated.

    Solar cells are packaged into modules containing a number of cells in series. The module protects the cells and produces a higher voltage than a single cell.

    The photovoltaic effect stayed in the laboratories until 1959 when the first silicon solar cell was made by bell labs in 1954 for the space industry.

    Today solar panels are becoming more and more common on land, and new technology is being developed to remove the costly silicon component of the typical solar cell. Because of the fluctuation from the energy source, the sun, storage of energy is required. Depending on geographic region, enough storage is require for either one night, or perhaps a whole season.

    By admin | Posted in Solar Panel | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

    Bring Down Energy Costs; Heighten The Looks Of Homes With A Solar Panel

    November 3, 2008 – 8:24 pm

    Bring down energy costs; heighten the looks of homes with a solar Panel.

    There was a time when people think that solar PV is expensive. Others see this as an expensive hobby, reserved only to those who have money to burn. Other segment of the population on the other hand sees the negativity about the solar PV on the side of aesthetics. They see the solar PV as an eyesore and a device that can also destroy the good looks and the overall design of one house. Now all these concerns are fast fading. That’s because a number of advancements in design and technology are developed in order to address these two issues. The end results of these move is to make sure that a solar PV can be cheap, and less of an eyesore. There is a new PV panel that is out in the market, and this is called the thin-film amorphous silicon.

    This type of PV is now bringing cost down making this technology affordable for most households. In some states in the country, cost is being held down by the rebates that are given by the government. Some states even offer rebates up to 60 percent. With the cost of this power-generator going down, power needs of the household can now be addressed even though power coming from the public utility may go down. And the nice thing about this technology is that you can be independent and the household can be the source of power by other households in the community as well.

    This can be done when there is an excess in energy generated during the peak daylight hours. You can actually sell the excess power that has been generated the whole day; sell the power to household or even sell it to the town’s power utility. As mentioned cost wasn’t the only issue that was addressed with the development of this new PV; aesthetic was also addressed as well.

    This ultra-thin PV panels are now produced as well with aesthetics and your home’s design as one of the considerations. The key here is to incorporate the panels to the design of the house, as if the panels are part of the structure. This is now done by producing these panels as shingles for home-use and made as standing-seam roofing panels that look like roofing materials. These newer versions of the panels are now installed and fitted in such a way that they will look like an ordinary roofing material, but what other people don’t know is that this acts as your power collector and generator by the day.

    These aesthetically-good looking and highly effective panels are called in the market as the building-integrated photovoltaic or the BIPV. The installation of these panels is easy as well since you no longer need the services of the expensive racks and trackers, plus the other costs associated with the installation of the traditional solar panels. This is easy and can be done even by the DIY-type of person. And you can even start using just a few panels. Start small and just add more panels if needs arise.

    By admin | Posted in Homemade, Solar Panel | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (0)

    Good Looking Solar Panels

    October 28, 2008 – 1:13 am

    Some see the aesthetics of one product as more important other than the services and the roles that it can deliver. This is actually true for most renewable energy producers and generators that are crafted and designed for home use. A number of households and homemakers see the good things of having a renewable energy resource within the backyard, but they don’t usually adopt these technologies for matters linked to beauty and aesthetics. They often see these power generators like a ‘sore thumb’ inside the property and device that only spoils the landscape of the property.

    Now if you are part of the population that sees the relative importance of aesthetics and looks even for renewable power generators, then it’s time to check back once again the newer version of solar panels. The newer versions of solar panels are called photovoltaic modules and these modules have the capability to effectively convert the sunlight directly into electricity. But more than just a power generator and converter, these modules are now also used and integrated into the roofing or the building materials.

    The use of these modules is a great alternative to the usual modules that are mounted into the roof racks. The development of this kind of modules is simply what people want in this day and age; a source of renewable energy and at the same time a device that blends with the design of house and not destroys it. With the current design intention of these modules, homeowners can now expect that these modules can help protect the home from storms and rainy weather and at the same time produce extra electricity for the household. These newer versions of these modules aren’t just installed as part of the roofing since these can be added as well on other parts of the house where sunlight can be sourced. These modules can also be integrated into the façade materials and can even be added on the covered walkways.

    Right now these modules are also designed to complement the other roofing materials that are used for homes. See these modules complement the asphalt shingles, the standing seam metal roofing and of course the concrete tiles. These are all now possible thanks to the vision of manufacturers and developers to make these roofing and power generator products a styling accent and at the same time a reliable power generator.

    The power generated by this energy producer is flexible as well; this can be used by large consumers in order to meet their growing demands and this can be used as well by a growing household. Most of the time, households don’t normally rely totally on the power that can be generated by this power generator. Others use this in conjunction with the power supplied by the local power utility. This will also come with the inverter that is located near the electrical panel and this inverter can convert the produced electricity by the PV into a utility that’s compatible with alternating current. Other PV systems can also use battery storage.

    By admin | Posted in Solar Panel | Tagged , | Comments (0)

    Counting The Benefits Of DIY Solar Energy Projects

    October 20, 2008 – 12:39 pm

    Why is there a need to take a good look at what solar panels, and many DIY solar energy projects? Well there are a number of reasons why, and all these things can help make your life easy and convenient. If you take a look at some states, you have already noticed the good things that can be delivered by this renewable energy source. Take a good look at California and you will see how thousands of households there have taken advantage of the solar electric systems. These households in the state have reduced their current and their future electric costs by using solar panels. But other than the savings that can be gained by using this technology, there are other benefits that can be delivered by the DIY solar energy projects.

    One tangible benefit is that your household can gain independence from utility companies. Right now, electric rates are fast rising. There was even a study that mentioned that in 2006, the highest tiered residential rates jumped significantly to 30 to 60 percent per year. And experts and analysts are one in saying that the electric rates will continue to rise in the next coming years. Rates will also shoot up due to global conflicts. But if you have your own energy provider in the form of the DIY solar energy projects then you will be insulated from these fluctuations in energy prices.

    Another benefit is that solar power that can be used by the solar panel is much cheaper compared to utility power. Just think about this; the cost of installing solar power system is equal to pre-paying of power at the fraction you pay right now. This is a good addition to home as well since the government pays for the large portion of the cost as well. This is in the form of incentives, like what the state of California did. The California Solar Initiative or the CSI offer a rebate for those who get into solar energy. The rebate that can be offered by the state usually covers 20 to 30 percent of the total system cost.

    Your solar system is highly dependable as well. And once installed the solar power system for home use will require little or almost no maintenance. You can expect as well that this can provide electricity cleanly and quietly for around 25 to 40 years. And perhaps the best benefit that can be delivered by the solar energy is that this does well for the environment. You do your share for the environment and you remain friendly to your wallet as well. By effectively generating electricity using solar energy, you reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and in the process also decrease the pollution and the greenhouse emissions. With this kind of set-up you do your own share of combating global warning and help in the reduction of the country on foreign energy resources. If all these things sound good, then now is the right time to start your DIY solar energy project.

    By admin | Posted in Homemade, Solar Panel | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

    Focusing on concentrator photovoltaic

    September 29, 2008 – 11:19 pm

    If you are new in the renewable energy business and consumption, then the concentrator isn’t a familiar term for you. But for someone who knows his renewable energy resource and his solar panels then this term is common and highly helpful. The concentrator photovoltaic is used as a label to one device when the sunlight is concentrated to the photovoltaic surface of the panel.

    The use of this device is highly suggested and more advantageous if compared to the traditional panel solar cells. The concentrator is advantageous in the sense that this will be less expensive if compared to the solar cells. Just how cheap is this device compared to the others available in the market? Well the concentrator photovoltaic is priced at an average of $3 while the silicon flat panels that can be purchased can be had for $5. Now there are other charges that come with these flat panels. These panels will also come with added costs associated with installation. Because this device relies heavily on the sun’s rays, then expect that this will effectively operate as well during sunny weather when clouds are less.

    Concentrator photovoltaic that can be used for home application and can be used by the DIY type of person may come in many types for different needs and applications. One type of CPV is the so-called low concentration CPV. This type of concentrator needs only a low concentration of 2-10 suns. And to get the best out of the device, the conventional silicon solar cells are often used. If the concentrator is of low concentration, then this means that the concentrator will not need the services of the tracker. This is possible because the collector will have a high acceptance angle.

    The medium concentration CPV is another type of concentrator. The concentration used by this CPV ranges from 10 to 100. If the low concentration CPV does not require the services of the tracker, this CPV on the other hand needs the solar tracking and also the cooling. The last type of concentrator is the high concentration CPV. This is considered as the most complex amongst the three. This type of concentrator will feature concentrating optics of dish reflectors or these are called Fresnel lenses and these have the capability to concentrate the sun light to intensities of 200 or more suns.

    But no matter what type of concentrator you use, you can be sure that the energy requirement of the household can be met by this device. And of course the cost consideration is a good motivation as well, making the concentrator photovoltaic technology much cheaper that the solar cells. Aside from these benefits, there still a number of benefits that can be delivered by this technology. This technology also offers greater efficiencies; in fact this can deliver 40 percent greater efficiency than solar cells. This device has no moving parts and has no intervening heat transfer surface. And more importantly this device is scalable to a range of sizes, so a small concentrator for home use can be yours as well.

    By admin | Posted in Concentrator, Homemade, Solar Panel, Solar Tracking, Sun Tracking | Tagged | Comments (0)

    Solar Tracker Benefits

    September 25, 2008 – 11:14 pm

    To further the efficiency of the solar panel fitted at the roof, a solar panel tracker is often installed. The tracker is an add-on device that is geared towards improving the energy production of panel and making sure that the panel can get the right amount of energy from the sun at the right time. To be more precise what this device does is to orient the panel or concentrate the panel towards the sun at that time and moment.

    The presence of this device is extremely important because the sun’s position varies from time to time. And the position of the sun will often vary with the season and the elevation and dependent as well on the time of the day. And this is where the solar tracker comes in the picture. This solar powered equipment will make the solar panel work better and with efficiency since this will be pointed directly to the sun with the help of the tracker.

    Solar trackers that can be used by the DIY type of person may come in many types and the differences lie on the cost, the sophistication and of course on performance as well. The heliostat is one popular solar tracker that is available in the market. This heliostat is simply a movable mirror that can reflect the moving sun to a fixed location. What makes the trackers work is the accuracy, and the more accurate the solar trackers the better the panels in producing energy sourced from the sun. So if one household will need a solar tracker, then the degree of accuracy of the device should be taken into consideration.

    One example of a tracker that requires a high degree of accuracy is the concentrator. This is necessary in order to ensure that the concentrated sunlight will be directed straight to the powered device. The concentrator will not work without the help of the solar tracker and as such a single-axis tracking is mandatory for a household that makes use of one concentrator. For the non-concentrating applications the accuracy is not much of an issue. These applications can still work and produce energy without the help of trackers. Though trackers may not be needed for this, juts remember that panels can work well and with efficiency when trackers are used.

    The use of these trackers for the non-concentrating applications is driven by the need to have an economical energy-generating system. You see trackers are less expensive if compared to the well-known photovoltaic. When you own one, make sure that the solar trackers are well-maintained so that its efficiency will not be compromised.

    One maintenance step that you can do is to adjust the position of the solar tracker as one season passes. The solar trackers need to be inspected as well at least yearly, and these trackers should be lubricated as well on a yearly basis. The maintenance of the paint of the trackers should be prioritized as well since trackers that are available in the market are crafted from mild steel and as such they can be prone to damage in highly corrosive environments.

    By admin | Posted in Homemade, Solar Panel, Solar Tracking, Sun Tracking | Tagged | Comments (0)