World’s Biggest Solar Kitchen?
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 03. 9.06
This just blew me away. These solar reflectors “produce steam which is used to cook vegetables and rice for up to 18 000 people.” The steam can reach temperatures of 650 degrees C (1,202oF) at the focal point of the reflector, hot enough to cook food in massive industrial pots of 200 and 400 litres (53 and 106 Gal). This all happens at the Academy for a Better World on Mount Abu,1,300 metres above sea level, in the Indian state of Rajasthan. On days of peak solar radiation the system can apparently cope with 38,500 meals per day. And we just love this quietly spoken understatement of their treehuggery: “... the cooker is a fine example of the successful use of cost efficient solar thermal energy on a large scale while making use of relatively simple technology and low-maintenance equipment that is locally manufactured from local materials.” More pictures here. A combined project of the ::Brahma Kumaris India, and ::Solare-Bruecke, Germany (amongst others).
Yes, yes, more bypassing of conversion to electricity and back (and the associated losses). Gotta love it!
...in case there aren't any raw-food-ists here, (not that I am, but for the sake of discussion) let me quip in: why bother with cooking to begin with? If everyone ate raw, that energy could be put to good use offsetting something else that pollutes.
I don't know about you but I don't really want to put my raw stirfry on my raw rice.
Sure, it would be good ruffage, keep my teeth clean, leaving me feeling bloated in about an hour and would save energy.
But, I don't know, it just doesn't seem yummy.
raw is only a good idea if you have clean water and clean food.
Solar farms, heliostats and solar cooking are new emerging technologies. With oil prices rising daily, it is only a matter of time before the masses begin to embrace such alternative energy devices.
Why not get involved in solar power. Here is a post showing you how to build a parabolic solar cooker
How to build a Parabolic Solar Cooker
Regards
Parabolic solar cooker
Brighter Energy Solutions