Advantages And Disadvantages Of Solar Cookers In South Africa

Theoretical Background

In the southern African region, the need for reliable and inexpensive cooking apparatuses is growing at a rapid rate, especially in the many rural and underdeveloped areas. Solar cookers have been in use for a number of years, and they play a major role in the lives of the people who use them. Previous research that has been conducted by bodies such as the South African Department of Minerals and Energy and Solar Cooking International, on the efficacy and environmental impact of solar cookers will be further explored. The possible advantages and drawbacks of these cookers will be discussed as well the various types that have so far made their way into the market and their relevance to southern Africa.

Solar cookers represent an eco-friendly form of cooking, and they signify one of the most fundamental methods of harnessing solar energy for human use. In the southern African region, solar cookers have gradually grown in popularity over the last few decades, as they represent an efficient solution to many of the economic and fuel-related problems facing rural communities. Free solar energy can be harnessed and used as a fuel to operate solar cooking apparatuses, thereby reducing the need for other fuels such as paraffin and wood (see Tucker, 1999). These cookers play a vital role in the lives of the many families who make use of them, as they are cheap and simple to operate. They provide the users with an effective and reliable method by which to cook their meals and play a huge role in terms of money-savings for these families.

According to a comparative field test conducted by the South African Department of Minerals and Energy, clear preferences were indicated in the results, for certain cooker types, amo...

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...aic panels is that it makes use of a renewable resource and thus it will continue to produce power indefinitely. Studies have shown that the demand for Photo-Voltaic panels is increasing as the cost of this technology decreases. The installation of various Photo-Voltaic panels has and will create additional job opportunities for the unemployed. Photo-Voltaic energy is sustainable and environmentally friendly. The major disadvantage of the Photo-Voltaic is that it is dependent on the presence of sun light which means that during cloudy days and at night, even though the panels may store energy during the day, there may not be an adequate supply of electricity (PEARCE, J M, 2002).

It can be evidently reasoned by the numerous advantages stated above that the photovoltaic panels is the superior scheme over the axial flow water turbines for the Kwa-Zulu Natal Coastline.