Solar cooking is a passion of Nicola Ulivieri who experiments continually new prototypes for years, pursuing various educational initiatives. He was awarded the "Siena Carbon Free 2015 prize" for the project "Solar Cookers" and he recently published the book "Solar Cookers".
An exhaustive manual-essay introducing you to the world of solar cookers that highlights the potential of these practical tools with which you can cook your dishes outdoors with solar energy alone. You will learn the history, development and refinement of solar cookers, but also the theory of apparent motion of the Sun, as well of solar radiation and its conversion into heat. This book is accompanied by an extensive theoretical and practical section that illustrates the working principles of solar cookers: complete with the methods to build them with recycled materials, illustrative examples and advice on recipes.
238 Pages, over 200 illustrations. Ebook also available
Spreadsheets associated to the book are available for solar cookers projects and they can be downloaded for free in a single zip file.
Here are available the tables of the Equation of time and Declination of the Sun.
Here are available the spreadsheet for the Simplified calculation of sunrise and sunset.
Or you can go to this interactive page for calculations of the Sun's Position.
You may be interested in the following free software:
· Planetarium for observation of the Sun, stars, constellations: Stellarium
· 3D representation of Earth based primarily on satellite imagery: Google Earth
· Free OpenOffice package to manage spreadsheets if you do not have Excel: OpenOffice
Simone Bazzotti and Nicola Ulivieri (from right) receiving the Siena Carbon Free 2015 prize, with (from left) President of the Province of Siena Simone Bezzini and the Provincial Councillor for the Environment Gabriele Berni (photo by G. Pizzichi, 2012).
Appointed by the Marche Polytechnic University for a research in Ethiopia on the use of solar ovens in Woreda communities in collaboration with NGO Comunità Volontari per il Mondo CVM (2023).
Read the article
Watch the video summary
Seminar held at the University of Sawla entitled "General knowledge on Solar Cooking Devices. Experiences in Italy", and delivery of my book to the director of the University (2023).
Read the article
Watch the video summary
Guest at the Siena Carbon Free episode of Linea Verde, Rai 1, aired December 1, 2018, fully visible at the address of Raiplay. My interview is at the beginning
Video interview at Story Time for my books "Forni Solari. Cucinare con il Sole, Storia, Teoria, Costruzione e Ricette" and "I Segreti degli Orologi Solari, Manuale per leggere, comprendere e progettare meridiane"
Guest for solar cooking demonstrations at Sun Med Festival, the first solar energy festival in the city of Palermo, dedicated to science, technology and culture of the Sun in the Mediterranean
Interview with Radio Siena for the book "Solar Cookers. Cooking with the Sun - History, Theory, Construction, Recipes"
Guest at the EcoFuturo Festival of Ecotechnologies and Self-construction, July 2014. TV interview on FattoQuotidiano.tv . Here an article on the birth of the meeting (ITA) "Caffè da Fo. Una giornata di cultura ecologica con Jacopo Fo" . Here all EcoFuturo video 2014 edition
Watch all my solar cooking videos from the frame above or on Youtube from this link
Preparation and cooking for the Linea Verde TV episode. Full episode on Rai TV
Summary of my research trip to Ethiopia to monitor the correct use of solar cooking devices developed by the Marche Polytechnic University, and the seminar held at the University of Sawla entitled "General knowledge on Solar Cooking Devices. Experiences in Italy".
Cooking with a portable solar cooker on mountain snow during a snowshoe hike.
An overview of photos and videos of some of our solar cooking experimentation events, by using the only sunlight energy.
Reading of passages from the book "Solar Cookers" by the author Nicola Ulivieri for the initiative of the Municipal Library of Murlo during the Covid-19 emergency.
Self-build paraboloid-shaped solar concentrator, assembled in pieces by using a certain number of polycarbonate sectors covered with reflective films, all the same shape, joined sideways. Do you want to build it? Learn how with Solar Cookers
Satellite Dish solar concentrator made by offset dish covered with reflective films. Do you want to build it? Learn how with Solar Cookers
Self-build paraboloid-shaped solar concentrator, assembled in pieces by using a certain number of cardboard sectors covered with reflective films, all the same shape, joined sideways. Do you want to build it? Learn how with Solar Cookers
Very simple type of solar concentrator. This model uses the parabolic profile in a single dimension, allowing it to be made by simply bending - but appropriately - a reflective sheet. Do you want to build it? Learn how with Solar Cookers
Box type solar cooker made by cardboard boxes and reflective panels. Do you want to build it? Learn how with Solar Cookers
