Solar OvenMicah Grossman-Crist

Parabolics," cook fast at high temperatures, but require frequent adjustment and supervision for safe operation.

Panel cookers incorporate elements of box and curved concentrator cookers. They are simple and relatively inexpensive to buy or produce.

Convert sunlight to heat energy

Dark surfaces get very hot in sunlight, whereas light surfaces don't. Food cooks best in dark, shallow, thin metal pots with dark, tight-fitting lids to hold in heat and moisture.

Retain heatA transparent heat trap around the dark pot lets in sunlight, but keeps in the heat.

This is a clear, heat-resistant plastic bag or large inverted glass bowl (in panel cookers) or an insulated box with a glass or plastic window (in box cookers). Curved concentrator cookers typically don't require a heat trap.

check the cooker every half hour or so and adjust its position and the angle of the reflector relative to the sun.

Aluminum foil will work for a couple of weeks but after that the aluminum oxidizes and turns dark

Around the world, solar ovens or "solar cookers" are increasingly used to reduce people's reliance on firewood and other fuels.

Even if you have electricity, a solar oven can be an effective, energy-saving addition to your cooking tools.

Wood smoke from cooking fires is a major source of air-pollution and a killer,  it causes lung infections which kill at least 5 million young children each year.

I wanted to use materials that were easily accessible, possible to make with items typically found in ones house.

Hoping for more portability

Plan to upgrade the solar cookers to stronger material

No need to use firewood or gas when the suns available

Can be used to Pasteurize water making it safe to drink

1.3 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water