Solar cooking in Morocco
Short photo report by Oli Handscomb
December 2007
The two cookers made in the photos:
Collapsible ROB (Reflective Open Box) cooker
Cone ‘backpack’ cooker
These two made use of designs as detailed on the Solar Cookers International website www.solarcooking.org Roger Bernard presents an effective quick to make cardboard Reflective Open Box cooker on the website then there is a collapsible model design too.
I utilised the work of Allart Ligtenberg and his use of the cone ‘backpack’ cooker he developed for use especially in Nepal demonstrating the principals of solar cooking. The FAST (Friendly Appropriate Solar Technologies) website http://fast-solar.com/ has more information on their inspiring work in Nepal and use of this practical portable cooker.
The ROB cooker is made from cardboard as per designs. The cone cooker is an old plastic veterinary protective dog head collar. This is sufficiently thin to roll up easily and be strapped to the outside of a backpack to be barely noticed- even wandering the narrow alleys of bustling souqs! A metal clip (called a bulldog clip in the UK) joins the two ends of the plastic sheet adjusting to the desired diameter.
All cookers were tried out throughout December 2007 mostly in south Morocco. Ideal solar cooking conditions encountered daily. Occasionally wind was a particular issue decreasing performance especially when only using oven roasting bags and searching out more sheltered positions.
Plastic bottles also used on occasion with a black painted drinks can inside. Glass jar (as in Allart Ligtenberg’s designs) was not tried out this time and this may improve performance. Water for a refreshing cup of mint tea was found to take around 40-60 minutes to boil depending on the various variables. Unfortunately I do not have data for ambient temperature, windspeed and other useful things as this wasn’t a strictly scientific exercise but more a practical ‘necessity’ in securing hot water with no camping gas!
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