Recent News and Developments
Beginning at ancient times, Israel has a history of developing solar heating, with a law to have solar heat collectors for hot water on every building. In fact more than 83% of houses are with solar water heating installed on the roofs. Luz, one of the largest solar heating companies in the world in the late 80's until 1999, and today two of the largest solar heating energy companies in the world, are both located near the city of Beit Shemesh (meaning in Hebrew: The House of the Sun): Sollel and Luz II. Also a large portion of the Weitzman institute consists of one of the largest solar collector tower and basin in the world.
Solar cooking has recently become quite common, but in some places like the city of Eilat, there is no need to do anything, and frequently every summer, when temperatures reach 40 degrees celsius and more, the news shows how people fry an egg on a car's roof.
In recent years solar cooking has become more prevalent, and in almost all Hebrew and English forums that deal with sustainable systems, there are requests and sharing of information, with new blogs and websites dedicated to the subject. Climatic circumstances are near ideal, and various initiatives including government sponsored advertising [1] and NGOs have been advancing solar cooking. The solar cooking initiative in Darpur was originated by an Israeli woman Rachel Andres who recieved a nationally recognized prize for it[2]
It seems that the invention of using a car sun-screen as solar cooker originates from Israel[3].
National holiday public festivals are now having public solar cooking as a standard activity, summer camp solar cooking activities are prevalent, with news reaching the media about a young man inventing a new type of solar cooker (see Reports section).
Various companies and research laboratories are still looking into improving solar ovens. (See Research section)
Research
The National Physical Laboratory of Israel (NPLI) in 1996 experimented with the building of a solar concentrating type cooker. The design and materials used created an efficient cooker.
The promoting group was initially operating on the assumption that any solar cooker should lend itself to construction in local villages, largely around cost issues - that is, the intent was to serve the poor of the nation. That goal put considerable constraint on the venture, leading Harry Tabor, author of an article in the proceedings of the Varese Conference (1999), to suggest that while the appliance could be made or assembled locally, the critical elements could only be made in central shops (or even overseas). The NPLI research was limited to parabolic cookers, but the article argues that the principle pertains to box cookers as well. As example, glass cut to appropriate size(s), reliable and weather resistant hinges, bright aluminum in sheets, etc. could be prepared in regional workshops, while the insulation materials, wood, paint could be purchased locally.
Several companies and universities are continuing research on improving the solar oven, notably among them are the famed Weizmann Institute and Schatz Laboratories for Solar Energy Development[4].
The History of Solar Cooking in Israel
Solar cooking has been mentioned in Jewish holy scripts of the Mishna (compiled approx 200 BC to 100 AD) [5], stating that cooking done by the sun is permitted on the Sabbath, and are "produce of the Sun, not produce of man-made fire". Today orthodox Jewish ritual discusses this at length, and certain orthodox Ashkenazi Jews many times use the sun as a solution for warming lunch at noon, which otherwise would be prohibited according to their customs. This is only for dry foods, and only if directly from the sun rays and not by passing the warmth from some other material (such as warm sand).[6]
A recent Canadian visitor to Israel, Randy Shulman, lived in a southern remote kibbutz for some months, where she attempted to introduce solar cooking to her hosts. The work is only recently concluded and no word has been received of results.[7]
The turning point may have been widespread advertising in all newspapers of a family in Netanya, who learned solar cooking from Swiss friends around the year 2003. [8]
It is now quite common to see solar cooking at many settings in Israel. (See recent developments, above)
Jewish and Arab cooperation in solar cooking
In Israel there have been several joint initiatives, for learning and practicing solar cooking, especially notable was the northern Israeli religious Jewish Kaditha village solar cooking outing, with Arab teachers from Gallilee, and Palestinian teachers from the Palestinian National Authority studying and then successfully taking it to their communities. [9]
An initiative to bring solar cooking to Bedouins (nomad Arab tribes in southern Israel), was started by Devora Brous[10]. These Bedouin tribes are at a dispute with the Israeli government and Jewish establishment on land ownership in the Negev desert area. Bustan a grass-roots NGO is still working with the Bedouin people and solar cooking is used as an alternative to the traditional small fire cooking, as well as being a solution for villages not connected to the electric grid[11]
Climate, Culture, and Special Considerations
In the south and eastern desert areas, including cities such as Eilat and villages such as Ein Gedi, temperatures typically reach 40 degrees in the summer days. Solar cooking can be done in these regions on any dark (or sometimes even white) metal or sand. Soldiers and bedouin nomads are known to fry eggs or warm up cans of food directly in the sand, and residents of the cities in these locations, especially in the Arava area, may cook a meal, simply by placing it in the sun, without any solar oven.
In all of Israel, cloudy days account for only 40% of the year at most. In recent years there has been a haze caused mainly by dust from construction with rock covering for most of the buildings, and by polution mainly from transportation. Even so, conditions in Israel are ideal for solar cooking most of the year.
See also
Documents
Reports
English reports
- Kaditha Jewish religious community solar oven cooking with Palestinians
- the Lotan ecology center
- Israeli Jews and Arab Bedouins join in solar cooking project
- Angry founder of Bustan, at Israeli government attitude and actions towards the Bedouins, she founded this grass-roots organization
- Jewish worldwide support for Darfur Solar Oven project: Synagogues, temples (synagogues of the Jewish-Reform movement) and other Jewish organizations in the US, and world-wide supporting the project.
- boy invents solar oven at camp
- Israeli research institute developing solar oven and other solar technologies
- giant solar ovens Not really part of this site, but actually these are just very large solar ovens. One of the biggest is in Israel, others on this list were created by Israeli companies.
Hebrew reports
- Making a solar oven from a Pizza cover
- Israeli government Ministry of Ecology calls for Israeli citizens to use solar ovens, and to teach about them at schools. Also tells about the Weizman institute solar heating project, which reached 10,000 times the radiance at earth.
Articles in the media
English media
- Israeli solar cooker family in Israeli news This is the family that brought it to Israel from Switzerland.
- same story as it reached treehugger
- Rachel Andres, Israeli woman who had solar oven intiative for Darfur women
- Solar cooking lecture at Kibbutz Lotan among other news from solar cooking world.
- World Trade Center engineer to build sustainable housing (with solar ovens) project in Israel
Hebrew media
- Using a car window cover as a solar oven panel Great invention!
- some recipies and the claim that solar ovens are originally from Switzerland (at least these people learned of it there).
Contacts
- A complete list of NGOs and individuals working in Israel is available in the International Directory of Solar Cooking Promotors.
NGOs based in or working in the Israel
- Solar Cookers International Network
- Inti
- EG-Solar
- ULOG Freiburg
- Solar Cookers International
- S.T.E.V.E.N. Foundation
- Solar Oven Partners UMC
- CEDESOL Foundation
- Solar Connect Association
- Solar Circle
- Global Hope Network International
- Centro Uruguayo de Tecnologías Apropiadas
- Friendly Appropriate Solar Technologies
- Centre Ecologique Albert Schweitzer
- Solar Oven Society
- African Centre for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology
- Sun Ovens International
- Centre for Rural Technology, Nepal
- El Fuego del Sol
- Barli Development Institute for Rural Women
- Association des Femmes Ingénieurs du Mali
- Solar Cooker Workgroup Sliedrecht NL
- International Center for Networking, Ecology, Education and Re-Integration
- Solar Solutions
- SunFire Solutions
- Solarinstitut Jülich
- Fondo Mexicano para la Conservación de la Naturaleza
- Aprovecho Research Center
- Association pour le Développement de l'Energie Solaire
- Vajra Foundation
- Canelo de Nos
- International Solar Energy Society
- Solar Household Energy
- Solar Cooking KoZon
- GloboSol
- Stichting Vluchteling
- Rotary Club of Fresno
- Grupo Fénix
- The Energy and Resources Institute
- Atouts Soleil
- International Organization for Migration
- Naandi Foundation
- Sonnenenergie für Westafrika
- Adventist Development and Relief Agency Somalia
- Fundació Terra
- Solare Brücke
- Association Malienne des Femmes Handicapées
- Brahma Kumaris
- Foundation for Sustainable Technologies
- Fundación Inti Uma Ecuador
- Sol Suffit
- Solemyo
- ExSol
- Lotan Center for Creative Ecology
- Girl Guides Association of Malaysia
- Fundación Celestina Pérez de Almada
- China Association of Rural Energy Industry
- Las Mujeres Solares de Totogalpa
- Aga Khan Foundation
- MéxicoSOL
- Shem Women's Group
- Solar Clutch
- SUPO
- Unidad Ecológica Salvadoreña
- Asociación de Lisiados de Guerra de El Salvador
- Japan Solar Cooking Association
- Solar Food Processing Network
- Adventures in Health, Education, and Agricultural Development
- Fundación EcoAndina
- WISIONS of Sustainability
- Earth Passengers
- Solar Cookers for Africa
- Solar Association TILOO
- Solar Cooking Concept
- Bethel Business and Community Development Centre
- Cocinando con el Sol
- Solar Inti
- Promoters, Researchers and Innovators in New and Clean Energy
- Namib Desert Environmental Education Trust
- Co2balance
- Senegal Ecovillage Network
- Sizzling Solar Systems
- Centro de Capacitación para el Desarrollo
- Pakistan Council for Renewable Energy Technologies
- Category:NGOs employing microcredit
- Re-newcy
- Practical Action
- Jordanian Renewable Energy Society
- Category:NGOs employing carbon credits
- Malaviya Solar Energy Consultancy
- GEF Small Grants Programme
- Manos Unidas
- Horn of Africa Regional Environment Centre and Network
- Japan Solar Energy Education Association
- Dada Zanzibar
- Solar Smelters International
- Border Partners
- Grupo Jaragua
- Zahana
- Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka
- World Vision Mali
- Developing World Solar
- Grupo de Energías Renovables Aplicadas
- World Central Kitchen
- Trust in Education
- African Millennium Foundation
- Climate Healers
- PROMOSOL
- Citizens for Solar
- Via Organica
- Foundation for the Support of Women’s Work
- GRUPEDSAC
- Sun Cookers International
- Solar Liberty Foundation
- CECAM Bolivia
- Earthbound Technology
- Student Solar Cooking Science Project
- Clean Cooking Alliance
- TanzSolar
- New Energy Works
- MWAYEO KENYA
- NGO Sustainability, Inc.
- Network of NGOs of Trinidad and Tobago for the Advancement of Women
- International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
- Environmental and Rural Mediation Centre
- ACCESO
- Appropedia
- Pleno Sol
- Cooloola Solar Systems
- Category:Rotary Clubs
- Solare Zukunft
- Category:NGOs employing heat-retention cookers
- Solvatten
- Associação Caatinga
- Lejofonds
- Simplified Technologies for Life
- Sustainable Utilization of Renewable Energy
- Friends of the Old
- NAREWAMA
- Rotary Club of Los Altos (California)
- Category:NGOs using CooKits
- Cal Poly Solar Cooking
- Tamera Solar Village
- Cocina Solar Mexico
- Sur la Piste
- Engineers Without Borders - Iran
- O'paybo
- Cucinare con il Sole
- Blik op Afrika
- Ecozoom UK
- Keshav Srushti
- Girl Scouts Heart of Central California
- Solar Cooking Plus
- Inti Illimani
- Category:NGOs employing heat storage
- Engineers Without Borders - Sweden
- Lernen - Helfen - Leben e.V.
- Amigos de Taquile
- ET-Solar Tech
- Solar Alternatives and Associated Programmes
- SELCO Foundation
- Lytefire
- Solar Cookers India
- Women Barefoot Solar Cooker Engineers Society
- Sentinelle dell'Energia
- Instituto Ecuatoriano de Investigaciones y Capacitación de la Mujer
- Sahara Sahel Foods
- Sol Solidari
- Norges Naturvernforbund
- United Village Transformation
- Jimmy McGilligan Centre for Sustainable Development
- Category:NGOs employing biomass briquettes
- Lazola-Initiative zur Verbreitung solaren Kochens e.V.
- Sunshine On My Shoulder
- Central American Solar Energy Project
- Rotary Club of Tapachula Centenario
- Imani Women's Group
- International Volunteer Cultural Centre
- Rotary Club of Gulu
- We Care For You Uganda
- Sun and Ice
- Amane Studio
- Category:NGOs employing fuel-efficient wood stoves
- Solar Cookers International Association
- Pakistan Science Club
- United States Agency for International Development
- UNESCO
- Fogão Solar
- Category:NGOs employing solar food dryers
- Renewable Energy Development Center
- TrinySol
- Sustainable Energy Society of Southern Africa
- Florida Solar Energy Center
- Lady Fatemah Trust
- Greenpop - Solar for Trees
- Kerr-Cole Sustainable Living Center
- EMACE Foundation
- Congo Clean Cookers
- Uttarakhand Renewable Development Agency
- American Solar Energy Society
- Tonembee Association
- Farmers with a Vision
- Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam
- Solar Freedom International
- Red Mujeres en Energía Renovable y Eficiencia Energética
- Greenpeace
- Welfare Society for Solar Development
- Asulma Centre Self Help Group
- Association des Volontaires Guineens Pour l' Environnement
- Museu de la Ciència i de la Tècnica de Catalunya
- Oficina Solar Tlacochahuaya
- AFAPE
- AfriShiners
- 100 Suns
- B4Dignity
- Sun24
- La Sazón del Sol
- PNUD en République démocratique du Congo
- Wonderbag
- Cozinhar com o Sol
- Rotary International
- Solar Cooking Zambia
- Haiti Adolescent Girls Network
- Garota Intelligentsia
- Florida Renewable Energy Association
- Solar Cooking Campaign for Grassroots
- Our 1 World
- STAR-TIDES
- Solar Education Project
- Le Présage
- Easy Solar
- Winam Jua CBO
- Auroville Solar Kitchen
- SOCO Burundi
- Mount Kenya Energy Project
- Маленькая Земля
- Agence de Développement Economique et Social
- The Nature Conservancy
- Advancing Sustainable Household Energy Solutions (ASHES)
- Ecomandate
- Nabahya Food Institute
- Zenaga Foundation
- Tamera
- Athel Technology Limited
- Low-tech Lab
- Care and Support Network
- Rosa Solar Stoves
- Centro Cottura Solare CFV
- Solar Fire
- EnergyTeachers.org
- Sustainable NE Seattle
- Brahma Kumaris Global Peace House
- NJUBA Children Relief
- Solar Cookers for Haiti
- Public-Private Alliance Foundation
- COMPE
- UNDP
- Magama Yeruka site Grass roots organization started by students to help world's ecology.
Individuals
Manufacturers and vendors
- Redsun Solar Industries
- Fair Fabricators
- ULOG Freiburg
- Solar Energy Limited
- ClearDome Solar Thermal
- Solar Solutions
- EG-Solar
- Sun Ovens International
- HotBag Project
- Solar Roast Coffee
- El Fuego del Sol
- Solar Circle
- Canelo de Nos
- Solar Household Energy
- Solar Connect Association
- Vajra Foundation
- Generador-Electrico.com
- Sun and Ice
- Solea Consulting
- Association pour le Développement de l'Energie Solaire
- BonzaBuy!
- SunFire Solutions
- Solvatten
- EnKing International
- Promoters, Researchers and Innovators in New and Clean Energy
- TinyTech Plants
- Solar Clutch
- Solar Oven Society
- Solar Oven Tracker (Privette)
- Malaviya Solar Energy Consultancy
- FUTEK
- SunOK
- Rudra Solar Energy
- Pascal Goux
- Solar Brother
- Foundation for Sustainable Technologies
- Solar Cookers for Africa
- Qingdao Lingding New Energy Co., Ltd
- Olympus Flower
- Blazing Tube Solar
- Solar Energy Enterprises
- Fogão Solar
- California Sunlight Corporation
- Sol Suffit
- Re-newcy
- Radha Energy Cell
- Simply Solar
- Sun Ovens Australia
- Su Solartech Systems
- Manik Solar Innovation
- Pleno Sol
- Copenhagen Solar Cooker
- Cooloola Solar Systems
- 邢台县翟村浩阳节能灶具制造厂
- Holms and Friends
- Hi-MIN Solar
- Madison Solar Engineering
- Hartmut Ehmler
- FOCALIS
- SUNFLAIR
- SolarCookingSystems
- SunGenius
- Ecovidasolar
- Rolf Behringer
- Dale Schuck
- Trust in Education
- Amane Studio
- Solarama Energy & Services
- GoSun
- Roberto Román
- Ravindra Pardeshi
- ET-Solar Tech
- Inti
- Solemyo
- Sahara Sahel Foods
- Solar Chef International
- SLiCK
- Solarmate
- Tapi Food Products
- Fornelia
- Lazola-Initiative zur Verbreitung solaren Kochens e.V.
- Cocina Solar Web
- SUNplicity
- Cucinare con il Sole
- Solar Oven Reflectors
- Liking Energy Co., Ltd
- Indiamart
- Togo Tilé
- International Volunteer Cultural Centre
- Solar Cooker Workgroup Sliedrecht NL
- Kate's Solar Kitchen
- Bjorn Qorn
- Sun Cookers International
- Ecozoom UK
- So Solar
- Foundation for the Support of Women’s Work
- HoSa Solar
- ISOMET
- Sun Buckets
- Heliac
- Solar Solutions Central
- A Better Focus Co., Inc.
- All Season Solar Cooker
- Sharon Clausson
- Sun Oven India
- Soleil Vert
- UNesar Private Limited
- Sara Hjalmarsson
- Sustainable.co.za
- Haines Solar Cookers
- La Sazón del Sol
- Solar Foods
- Wonderbag
- Jim La Joie
- Jet-Flame
- HC Solar
- Solar Cooker at Cantina West
- Le Présage
- Easy Solar
- User:Rudrasolarind
- Solar Chef
- Winam Jua CBO
- Sun & Cook
- SOCO Burundi
- Ecoo
- DayStar Solar Cooking Solutions
- Solmeiodia
- Green Sun Rising
- SoLenium technology
- Ecomandate
- ETE ETMATE Solar Oven
- Taste of Sun
- Sundish
- Solar India
- Kivu
- Delicias de Oaxaca
- Pesitho
- SunSpot Solar Electric Cooking
- Sun Dome
- Orjabox
- Solar Ranch
- Rosa Solar Stoves
- NeoLoco
- Asolar
- Solar Fire
- Partners with Sun
- SOLA Solar Cooker 1
- SunVenture
- Qingdao Huama Metal Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
- Southwest Stainless Large Solar Cooker
- Sunrise CSP
- SunPower Co-op
See Also
References
- ↑ Israeli government Ministry of Ecology: Call (in Hebrew) for Israeli citizens to use solar ovens.
- ↑ Rachel Andres, intiative for Darfur women
- ↑ Using a car window cover as a solar oven panel Hebrew site, possibly the original source of this idea, but the site may have been translated. There are no names listed.
- ↑ Israeli research institute developing solar oven and other solar technologies
- ↑ Shemirat Shabbat Kehilchata Hebrew reference to the Mishnaic and Talmud discussions on solar cooking on the Sabbath day (Saturday)
- ↑ An example of contemporary discussion on Jewish ritual pertaining to solar cooking
- ↑ State of the Art of Solar Cooking by Dr. Barbara Knudson.]
- ↑ Israeli solar cooking family in Israeli news. Possibly the turning point for widespread solar cooking in Israel
- ↑ Image of Kaditha religious Jews with Arab Palestinian teachers
- ↑ Founder of Bustan NGO, angry at Israeli government attitude and actions towards the Bedouins
- ↑ http://www.amin.org/look/amin/en.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=7&NrArticle=42947&NrIssue=1&NrSection=3 Israeli Jews and Arab Bedouins solar cooking project]