The Solar Community Gathers in Sunny California
Over one hundred people attended a three-day conference on solar cooking, SCInet Solar Cooking Convention 2014, in Sacramento, California, July 17th-19th. The event centered on several important themes including market implementation and penetration, addressing obstacles to adoption, solar cooker testing standards, and a number of other critical topics. In addition to co-sponsoring the convention, the Alliance sent a representative to help connect Alliance partners with the broad solar cooking community.
The international gathering was an energetic and engaging event. Participants discussed strategies to expand and strengthen solar cooking globally within various Working Groups. Attendees included solar experts, practitioners, advocates, and researchers who traveled from around North America, Asia, Africa, and South America to share innovations, best practices, and lessons learned within the solar cooking field.
The presentations included a diverse suite of topics:
- The February ISO meeting in Nairobi Kenya on cookstoves standards by Dr. Paul Funk
- Solar cooking at night with phase-changing nitrate salts for heat storage by Lineker Phuong, Alexsandra Guerra, and Carlotta Pham, UC Irvine
- PRINCE paneled concentrating solar dish cookers in India by Dr. Ajay Chandak, PRINCE
- A case study on a successful solar cooking project in Afghanistan by Grace Magney, Global Hope Network
- Reflector technology based on a Scheffler model by Dr. Pete Schwartz, Cal Poly
- Funding through carbon credits by Jack Anderson, Kyoto Twist Society
- Solar trekking in Nepal by Dr. Alan Bigelow, Solar Punch
- Solar food warmers in educational centers in Costa Rica by Dr. Shyam S. Nandwani
The Convention was followed by the Sacramento Solar Cooking Festival where over 100 local and international solar chefs showcased their technologies and demonstrated cooking methods to 600 visitors from the public.
The Alliance congratulates Solar Cookers International on a successful conference, another step toward reaching our common goal of increasing access to clean cooking solutions around the world.