I live in the western United States where most, if not all of us are suffering from drought to one extent or another. We've had an especially hot streak going here in the greater Portland area for the past week. Cooking inside seems like a really bad idea, adding heat to an already hot house. Most homes around here don't have air conditioning, so the problem is made worse. Hence, we do a lot of our cooking outdoors this time of year. Well, this no longer has to involve starting a fire. A company called GoSun makes a solar powered stove that can reach temperatures of 700 degrees Farenheit! Beyond that, this is a socially responsible company that wants to make a difference in the world. For every five stoves they sell, they will donate one so that it can be deployed somewhere in the world where gathering fuel for cooking is a major aspect of life.
Over the fold to see some more about this amazing concept.
Cooking Without Gas!
I've never seen anything like it. Sure there have been various solar cookers over the years, but this looks like one that actually works without waiting forever.
From the GoSun "Our Story" web page:
After a long morning dissembling a solar water heating device, GoSun founder and solar energy expert, Patrick Sherwin, realized that the vacuum tubes sitting next to him might be able to reheat his lunch. When the food came out hot and roasted, it was an epiphany. Having lived extensively off the grid and working on solar energy projects around the world, he knew that he was on to something.
We have plenty of sunshine around these days, so this is something I should be able to use a lot. What's more, I won't be using any form of carbon as a heat source. A small change, but a change never-the-less. (Even more important in our tinder-dry conditions is the absence of flame.)
GoSun has a grill in development as well, which they say can cook enough food for 5-8 people. It also has a thermal battery option that enables cooking with solar energy for up to two hours (!) after dark.
This is a new company, with values that I wish all companies had. They really appear to be committed to making a difference in the developing world. In areas where fuel is scarce and/or expensive, these devices can be empowering. They have already deployed stoves in 45 countries around the world!
Also from the GoSun "Our Story" web page:
GoSun’s business model has two distinct initiatives: GoSun Stove and GoSun Global, with different strategies, product offerings and markets that share the same basic technology. GoSun Global is a social enterprise leveraging business and impact investing as a mechanism to perform good in the developing world.
I just found out about GoSun, and it sure resonates with me. I ordered a stove, and pre-ordered a grill on their $100 price-reduction promo.
I can hardly wait to try this out, and will share my results with my friends here on DailyKos!