News and Recent Developments
- July 2007: This past March in Paris, France, Regula Ochsner received the Yves Rocher Foundation’s international "Women of the Earth" award for her work promoting solar cookers in Madagascar. The award honors women who lead actions benefiting nature and humanity. The award ceremony was attended by Madame Nelly Olin, French Minister for the Environment. In 2001 Ochsner founded the Association pour le Développement de l'Energie Solaire Suisse – Madagascar (ADES) to help combat rampant deforestation. Ochsner lived in Madagascar in the early 1970s and was shocked, when she visited in the late 1990s, at the amount of deforestation that had occurred in a period of just 25 years. (Madagascan families use about 100 kilograms of charcoal on a monthly basis, amounting to one-sixth of an average monthly salary.) Ochsner researched cooking alternatives that would reduce firewood and charcoal use, and discovered solar cookers. Madagascar, especially in the south of the country, has close to ideal conditions for the use of solar energy. Ochsner initiated production of solar box cookers by local carpenters in 2001, followed by distribution and sales. In 2003 ADES built a more permanent carpentry workshop in Tulear and another in Ejeda in 2006. ADES currently provides employment to 13 carpenters and trainers. The teaching of the population to use solar cookers is an important part of ADES’ work. Regular demonstrations on how to use the solar cooker take place. The interest level of the population is very high. Over 1500 solar cookers have been sold thus far. A survey of the usage of the solar cookers conducted by two German students in 2004 showed that 75% of the solar cookers were used regularly. Ochsner plans to invest the prize money of 10000 euro in a further solar cooker pilot project in the south of Madagascar. Future plans include development of regional centers in Morondava and Fort Dauphin.
- July 2006: An audio interview with Heinz Vetter on the ADES project in Madagascar
- 2006: ADES Madgascar Solar Cooker Project report
- November 2001: Solar Relief for Madagascar Cooks
The History of Solar Cooking in Madagascar
Madagascar, with its unique biological diversity, has attracted the attention of environmentalists from around the world to its rescue. It is somewhat surprising then to learn that little has been done to curtail the use of fuelwood as the major cooking energy for the population. Around one-fifth of the island's land has forest cover, which is diminishing at nearly 1% annually (FAO, 2003). A representative of the country, speaking at the Varese meeting in 1999, spoke of solar experimentation in the 1970s, revived in the 90s as deforestation worsened, but with little progress in mass implementation. The initial introduction was principally of parabolics, but later the 'breadbox" model was introduced and enthusiastically endorsed. The report called on governments, non-governmental organizations, and businesses to attempt to establish a strong national program, urging that international research and development be done cooperatively and shared widely with smaller nations.
One program operating in Madagascar is run by the medical arm (SALFA) of the Malagasy Lutheran Church. SALFA runs 25 hospitals throughout the country. Dr. Stanley Quanback and his wife, medical missionaries in the country, initiated the project and helped to develop collaboration with another medical organization, Pathologists Overseas. Teaching materials and consultation were provided to the volunteers by California volunteer, Alice Hoenecke, sociologist Agnes Andriamanantsoa , and nutritionist Sosanna Suzanne, the latter two employees of SALFA and citizens of the country.
The group began by training women in one village in a semiarid region of the country. The trainees were hospital staff members and members of a churchwomen's organization. As stated above, fuelwood was become very scarce and expensive. Miss Sosanna directs the project, supervising 15 trainers who are working now in 11 villages. Primary health centers are usually the site for training in the use of solar cookers. They estimated, as of 2003, that there were 1,000 users and others begging to have solar cookers made available to them.[1]
Another project currently active in Madagascar is l'Association pour le Développement de l'Energie Solaire (ADES) is an NGO and a non-profit organization that produces solar cookers in Madagascar and supports the use of renewable energy sources. It started in Tuléar in the south of Madagascar in 2001. Local production by local people with local material is part of the ADES philosophy.
Climate, Culture, and Special Considerations
Solar Cookers International has rated Madagascar as the #19 country in the world in terms of solar cooking potential (See: The 25 countries with the most solar cooking potential). The estimated number of people in Madagascar with fuel scarcity but ample sun in 2020 is 3,000,000.
See also
- Discussion of southern Africa's suitability for solar cooking
- Solar cooker dissemination and cultural variables
Documents
Reports
Articles in the media
- July 2008: Un four solaire ADES sauve 22 tonnes de bois - Madagascar Tribune
- June 2008: TRITEC finances the 1st Solar Village in Madagascar - PresseBox
Web pages
Contacts
- A complete list of NGOs and individuals working in Madagascar is available in the International Directory of Solar Cooking Promotors.
NGOs based in or working in the Madagascar
- Solar Cookers International Network
- Inti
- EG-Solar
- ULOG Freiburg
- Solar Cookers International
- S.T.E.V.E.N. Foundation
- Solar Oven Partners UMC
- 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
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