Cooking with the sun: Teaching and capaciting about solar energy

Abstract

When we want to teach thermal solar energy, the most exciting and successful didactic experiences are achieved using solar ovens and cookers. This activity allows students to easily teach the most important theoretical concepts about solar energy and other technical subjects. It is also possible to talk about topics of ecological content, social, nutrition… Students learn from the teacher's explanations, observing how the food boils, touching the hot pot and feeling the high temperature, smelling the aroma of cooked food and finally tasting the food. We can sum it up as “learning from the five senses”. At this point, students are eager to learn new knowledge and continually expose creative ideas to improve systems or to incorporate such knowledge into new applications. This teaching tool is very flexible and it is possible to work at all levels of education, from kindergarten to university. It also enables people without previous studies to help their communities reduce their energy dependence on fuel wood or conventional fuels for cooking or heating their homes. Using ovens and solar cookers allows communities to move towards sustainable development, use renewable energy, reduce deforestation and increase energy independence.