energy is one of the most vital elements for the existence of all living beings on the earth. the...
TRANSCRIPT
Energy is one of the most vital elements for the existence of all living beings on the earth.
The increasing demand for energy, gradual rise in oil prices, depletion of fossil fuels, unchecked deforestation and exponential population growth have aggravated the cooking energy problem.
In this crucial situation, solar energy which is pollution free, cost free and available in abundance during most days of the year, offers a practical solution to the household energy problems.
Solar cooker that works on solar energy is a great boon to both rural and urban households. It is a simple, safe and convenient way to cook food by consuming cost free fuel.
According to some of the oldest scriptures of India, Rigveda and Brahma Grantha, Solar cooked food was called “Amritha” and the cooking appliance was known an “Akshayapatra”.
BOX TYPE SOLAR COOKER PARABOLIC TYPE SOLAR COOKER
HEAT ACCUMULATING SOLAR COOKERSTEAM SOLAR COOKER
1. To find out the use of different types of solar cooker.
2. To know the advantages and constraints of home makers regarding the use of solar cooker.
MethodSurvey
Pilot Study
ToolQuestionnaire
Main study
Analysis
SampleN = 50
Main
Age range: 35 – 45 years Education: Graduates Type of family: Nuclear Type Family size: 1 to 4 members Major fuel used for cooking : LPG Secondary fuel : Solar energy
Types of solar cooker used by the respondents
Higher percentage (98%) of the respondents possessed Box type solar cooker followed by the solar oven.
Among 98 percent of the respondents, 84 percent possessed box type solar cooker with single reflector followed by double reflectors.
About 58 percent of the respondents purchased solar cooker in the price range of Rs2001 and above.
Majority of the home makers (44%) purchased solar cooker in the last 5 to 10 years.
Most of the home makers preferred box type solar cooker over the other three types because these cookers are durable, easy to handle, easy to clean and portable.
Factors N = 50
Percentage
Care and maintenance 12
Saves fuel/energy 32
Tasty food 18
Status Symbol 06
Subsidies 10
Interested in using natural energy for cooking
22
Table-1: Factors considered while purchasing solar cooker
46
98
24
88
44
18
4
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Per
cent
age
Attractive Durable Portable Easy tohandle
Easy toclean
Heavy Occupiesmore space
Fig-1: Response on the design of solar cooker
Attractive Durable Portable Easy to handle Easy to clean Heavy Occupies more space
Response on the operation of the solar cooker
All the respondents felt that their solar cookers were convenient to operate and the sizes of their cookers were adequate for their family.
About 90 percent of the respondents tracked the mirror of their solar cookers according to the direction of the sun, but a few (6%) of the home makers did not change the direction of the mirror.
A majority of the respondents (90%) felt that the size of the vessel/containers were adequate to cook food for their family.
Most of the respondents (62%) used aluminum vessels and 38% used stainless steel vessels.
Table – 2: Preference on type of vesselN = 50
Type of vessel
I II III Weighed mean
Ranking X2
Aluminum vessel
54(27)
46(23)
- 1.46 I 14.38**
Stainless steel vessel
36(18)
48(24)
16(8)
1.80 II
Non stick vessel
12(6)
6(3)
82(42)
2.70 III
Figures in the parenthesis indicate the number of respondents** Significant at 1% levelSources: Field Survey
Response on the frequency of use of solar cooker
A higher percentage of the home makers (79%) used solar cooker more frequently during summer and winter, when the intensity of the sun is high.
Most of the respondents (56%) stated that they cooked two dishes at a time followed by 26 percent who cooked one dish, 11 percent three dishes and 7 percent cooked four dishes at a time.
Cent percent of the home makers adopted the practice of pre – heating their solar cooker, cutting vegetables to the desired size and soaking of pulses (74%) and soaking of cereals (24%) as a prior preparation before cooking in a solar cooker.
All the respondents followed the boiling method to cook food in their solar cooker followed by 64 percent who used it for baking, 38 percent for roasting and a few (10%) for steaming.
Dishes Percentage
Rice 100
Sambar 88
Lime Rice 36
Vangibath 10
Bisebelebath 56
Pulao 60
Idli 10
Kesaribath 08
Cakes 64
Biscuits 48
Boiled Eggs 28
Pudding 12
Dal 24
Roasting Groundnuts 32
Roasting Rava 38
Fish and Meat dishes 16
Boiling vegetables 10
Table – 3: Preparation of different dishes in solar cooker
Fig-2: USE OF SOLAR COOKER APART FROM COOKING
20
26
16
50
20
56
8 8
0
10
20
30
40
50
60P
ER
CE
NT
AG
EDrying vegetables Fruits Fish and meat Cereals and pulses Chillies Preparing Jams Jellies Pickles
Advantages Preferential ranking Ranking X2 r
I II III IV V VI VII WeighedMean
Fuel requirements are reduced
54 10 24 2 2 4 4 2.16 I 17.35**
Food becomes very tasty
16 18 18 10 10 12 16 3.80 III
Minimum attention is required
6 14 8 16 2 18 36 4.92 VII
Hygienic 10 12 14 14 12 18 20 4.40 V
Economical 4 4 14 32 10 36 10 4.58 VI
Friendly to the environment
6 6 18 18 28 16 8 4.36 IV
Retention of nutrients
4 36 4 8 36 6 4 3.78 II
Table- 4: Response on the Advantages of solar cooker
Constraints Percentage
Food cannot be cooked during the night and cloudy days 82
Takes more time to cook 80
Cooker containers are not convenient to handle 48
Difficult to carry from one place to another 32
Fried items cannot be prepared 16
Breakfast cannot be prepared 24
Table – 5: Constraints of home makers in using solar cooker
N = 50
The major problem faced by the respondents while using solar cooker was its heavy weight, food could not be cooked whenever they wanted and that it took more time to cook food and food did not get cooked if the intensity of the sun was low.
Respondents were satisfied with the advantages of solar cooker offered as a method of cooking.
To combat this major drawback, there are solar cookers like the concentrating type, heat accumulating and steam cookers which are available in the market but the cost is higher when compared with that of the box type solar cooker.
Solar cooker must be made available at a subsidized rate laying more stress on its advantages rather than disadvantages.
Using solar energy for cooking at least one meal a day can save a lot of fuel, money and reduce environmental pollution.
When we review today’s situation there is a lot of stress on alternative energy sources as it helps in combating the energy crisis and global warming to save our mother earth.