Solar Energy Case Studies

Are solar cookers a viable, cost-effective alternative to traditional methods of cooking in Kenya? (Link)

This case study is located in Kenya and focused on the topic of Energy. Residents of refugee camps were given instructions on how to create solar cookers from already present material. The materials are cheap and plentiful. The solar cooker was introduced to this region because it serves as an alternate to the other cooking methods that they have which is mainly burning kindling from forests nearby (studied earlier in this course!). The con to the solar cooker is the time that it takes to heat up as well as its dependence on light of course. Cooking must take place during the day and it has to be sunny out. With those restrictions, the outcome of the case study was extremely positive. Many women in these refugee camps sought to create their own solar cooker and learn from the instructional lessons that were offered.

ToughStuff International (Link)

Founders at ToughStuff realized that a one-watt solar PV module could provide sufficient electricity for off grid basic services such as light, mobile phones, and radio. They have began selling their product in Kenya and have distributed to over 740,000 people. The product generates electricity from sunlight. It can be fixed on a roof or moved around. The objective of ToughStuff’s case study is to determine how effective their product is to the individual in Kenya. It is a cheap product to make and extremely mobile and accessible. Over the past five years they have reached a high usage population their distribution helps enable rural entrepreneurs in more remote areas sell products. I think this case study is an interesting one because similar to the solar cooker in the first article, it is a product focused on the individual. It allows single homes or people power a light during the night and things like that. The price also shows how far we’ve come with attaining more affordable solar energy.

Reflection

Currently, I am not aware of any systems that I use on a daily basis that are powered by solar energy but it is an extremely possible thing in the near future. I think something to note about these articles is that they are both located in vastly different areas that me (I currently live in Pennsylvania). The areas that the case studies took place in in both of these articles have much warmer and more arid climates than PA. I think the results that they see there may vary a little had they been in a state like PA that probably gets a little less sun in general throughout its seasonal year. Overall though I think the results from these case studies are pretty remarkable and its definitely helping solar energy’s movement into more mainstream culture.

Leave a Reply