| Many people understand the concept of passive | | | | of the box. As the heat rises, it cooks the |
| solar for heating a home. Fewer realize it | | | | items inside. Yes, it produces more than |
| can be used in to cook food and sterilize | | | | enough heat to do the job. It really is as |
| water.A solar oven is pretty much what it | | | | simple as that.There are three general types |
| sounds like. It is used to cook food and | | | | of solar ovens. A solar box works as |
| sterilize water. Most people do not even know | | | | described in the previous paragraph. A panel |
| they exist, but they are an effective way to | | | | oven uses reflective surfaces to focus the |
| cook from both an economic and efficiency | | | | sun on a pot to create heat and cook the |
| point of view.The basic idea with a solar | | | | material inside. A parabolic version is |
| cooking is to create a box like structure | | | | designed to focus the sunlight into the |
| that the sun heats up dramatically. If you | | | | bottom of a concave area upon which sits |
| have sat in a car in rush hour during the | | | | pots. There are variations of these three |
| summer, you know the sun can generate a lot | | | | forms, but all solar cooking designs are |
| of heat. Instead of cooking you in a car, a | | | | derived from these basic forms.While cooking |
| solar oven focuses on food.So, how do we cook | | | | with the sun is a fun and efficient, most |
| with it? The box structure is created with | | | | people will never apply it in their home |
| dark paneling and then covered with a clear | | | | because of obvious design issues. At a cabin |
| glass or plastic top after pots and food or | | | | or when camping, however, it is a perfect |
| water has been inserted. The structure is | | | | solution.Rick Chapo is with |
| sealed. Much like a car, the sunlight beats | | | | SolarCompanies.com, a directory of solar |
| through the clear top and heats the interior | | | | energy companies. |