Solar Cookers have been deployed in developing countries to alleviate poverty and fight deforestation. The solar cookers have been mainly used for household purposes and are designed to be versatile and flexible. Designing a solar cooker for a specific purpose increases its efficiency. The Solar-Trough-Baking-Oven (STBO), as constructed by Mr. Ivan Yaholnitsky in Lesotho, has proven itself to be an efficient tool to implement in villages where bread forms a major part of the regions diet.

Our aim is to improve the STBO and to provide a construction and implementation-manual.

Background

Since June 2005 the device as depicted above has been in operation at the Bethel Business and Community Development Centre in Lesotho.
Baking Output

• Manual mixing
  12 Loaves (1000g) & 24 Cinnamon Buns
• Machine dough mixing
  24 – 40 Loaves (1000g)

“Baking bread is hard work”, but even with manual dough mixing, an income double that of the statutory minimum wage could be achieved.

Project

Based on observations made by Mr. Yaholnitsky we would like to improve the STBO following the criteria:

• Materials should be locally attainable
• Easy construction
• STBO should be user friendly

Our Modification Aims

• Use of lighter material
• Isolating the tube against convective losses thereby increasing resiliance against sporadic cloud cover
• Solar tracking device: PV and mechanical
• A construction manual will be written in English, including a tutorial on basic accounting and business practice.