Date:16/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/16/stories/2008061655361003.htm

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Cooking with sun

The editorial “Cooking with the sun” (June 12) is timely in the context of soaring oil prices. I fully endorse the views expressed in it. But the fickleness of solar energy, lower conversion efficiencies with increase in target temperature, bulk of equipment and high cost are some of the hurdles that come in the way of popularising solar cookers.

As the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has been offering subsidy for solar pumps and water heaters, many people have come forward to install them. The maximum attainable temperature of 250 degrees Celsius makes vacuum tube collectors an excellent option, and desirable in supporting traditional heating/cooling systems or year-round air- conditioning. Although the initial cost of the evacuated tube collectors is high, considering the diverse applications, the government should come forward to popularise their installation on all buildings.

K.V. Mallan,

Kochi

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The use of solar cookers is a constructive move towards efficient tapping of solar energy, a renewable form which is cheaper and easily obtainable. The government should adopt policies — such as providing incentives to dealers — to encourage the use of solar cookers in the domestic sector. The people, too, should come forward to use these cookers. They may be slower when compared with the conventional LPG cooking gas but they are an attractive alternative when fuel prices are on the high.

D. Amutha Priya,

Thanjavur

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In India, the government promoted solar cookers for achieving targets, and not as a long-term goal. It has been proved in many cases (solar cookers are no exception) that when subsidies are offered, the quality suffers as the tendency is to minimise the costs. Bicycles that cost twice as much as solar cookers were never subsidised but millions of them are in use today. Solar cookers should meet the users’ needs.

The main reasons for the slow progress of solar cookers in India are: Cooking and eating are a private affair. No one wants to stand in the hot sun and cook in the open; working women are in the office between 9 a.m. and 5p.m. when solar radiation is available and they want to save their weekends for shopping and relaxation; and there is no provision for frying in the box-type solar cookers and fried food is almost indispensable in Indian homes. Nobody wants to use two cooking systems, one for frying and another for boiling and steaming.

A. Jagadeesh,

Nellore