MIT Solar Grill

by Brad
(Vegas)

In the August 2011 newsletter of Solar Cookers International, I was struck by a photo of an African woman cooking on a "solar grill", designed by MIT students.

http://www.solarcooker-at-cantinawest.com/solar_cooking_articles.html

Unfortunately, this photograph is photo-shopped and no grill yet exists. The MIT students are merely conceptualizing the marketing and design of a product, destined to make the lithium mining industry very happy, if the design is adopted and subsidized.

Solar Grill Prototype

I am disappointed that SCI did not point out the fact that the photo is photo-shopped, and like the flying cars of the 1950's, merely an exercise in wasting the creative energy of promising engineering students.

There are hundreds of exceptional solar cooking designs, which are lightweight, versatile, and made with common construction materials. How solar cooking made the leap from common sense, to an over-the-top technology project like this, made my head spin.

Anyone else see this concept product, and feel likewise?


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I totally agree with you on this.
It is not very practical for everyday "real world" and especially third world application.

To a certain extent, I even feel that "tracking" devices add to much expense and complication to such a simple and effective energy use as is the principle of solar cooking. Most people can do very well at solar cooking with just the basics.

I think you are right on.

Nathan
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