Can You solar cook from a window?

by Lynn
(Western Nebraska)

If you live in an apartment, can you use a solar oven in a sunny window, or does the glass window stop too many rays to get up to temperature to cook?


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Greetings Lynn,

Thank you for your question, it is one that comes up from time to time.

It seems you already have a good idea of the issues you would encounter with solar cooking through a window.

It would all depend on your window. If it is an older window from a couple of decades ago, you might be able to solar cook with a cooker from behind it, because many windows back then were not manufactured with UV inhibitors. Even then they still can reduce the UV rays to a degree.

Nowadays most all windows have substantial UV inhibiting characteristics built into them and so they do not permit one to receive many UV rays through them, and this is what gives the energy to produce the heat inside of a solar cooker.

If you can open your window and take out the screen then it would work, but you would also need a pretty large window; and south facing as well.

I have seen people put their solar cookers on their balconies (south facing is ideal) and cook, even mounting the cooker on the railing of the balcony as well.

People seem to find a way to put their solar cookers where ever they can.

I hope this is helpful.

Nathan
Admin.