How Solar Ovens work
Solar ovens or a solar cooker is a way of harnessing the sun's power to cook your food. A metal box forms the simplest solar
cooker. A set of large mirrors or lens to focus sunlight to a single point may also be added.
Apart from the obvious need for sunlight and the need to aim the solar cooker before
you use it, using a solar
cooker is not substantially different from a regular cooker. However since they use no fuel they are free to run,
environmentally friendly and can be the perfect answer to cooking if away in the
backcountry.
Humanitarian organizations are promoting their use worldwide to help slow deforestation and desertification caused by the need for firewood with which to cook.
On a sunny day a black baking tray or cooking pot can convert thousands of watts of light directly into heat. Temperatures in the oven can reach 400 degrees F (200°C).
Remember that if using them in the backcountry this amount of heat is a fire
risk.
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