Solar Powered Cooking, Industrial Strength Model
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.14.07
World's largest Solar Steam Cooking System at Tirupathi in Andhra Pradesh
We do go on about how packing people together in cities is more efficient and produces less carbon than low density development. Here is an example of how really packing them in leads to new opportunities. In India, they are using solar energy for cooking."Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd. (KREDL) is now promoting a solar-powered steam-based cooking system that suits apartments, hostels, big hotels and the institutions that take up mass feeding.....The system comprises parabolic-shaped reflectors, which focus the sun's rays on a particular point on an aluminium pipe through which water is made to pass through. The water heats and generates steam that passes through another pipe to be used for cooking purposes."
The article points out that this obviously only works in the daytime, but could significantly reduce demand for LPG (propane) that is the normal cooking fuel. It also says that the system is so efficient that it will pay for itself in two years. We hope to see it coming to steam tables near you soon. ::The Hindu
Unless they're superheating the steam, it won't be very good for cooking things other than rice and steaming vegetables since you need temperatures over 212 degrees to get the Maillard Reaction started, which is what gives non-steamed veggies and meats their complex flavors.