Solar Cookers International

Solar Cookers International (SCI) is a United States-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit and nongovernmental organization focused on expanding effective solar cooking in regions where it can improve human health, environmental conditions, household resilience, and energy access. Rather than operating primarily as a consumer-equipment brand, SCI functions as an advocacy, knowledge, standards, and movement-building organization. Its work connects solar-cooker designers, manufacturers, researchers, humanitarian groups, government and development agencies, educators, and community organizations. The organization was founded in 1987 as Solar Box Cookers International by Barbara Kerr, Sherry Cole, and other supporters. Its early work emphasized practical information: SCI produced and distributed manuals explaining how to construct and use solar box cookers and promoted solar cooking as a possible component of development and emergency-relief programs. Over time, its role broadened from disseminating construction instructions to linking solar-cooking organizations around the world, documenting field experience, supporting projects, and advocating for the technology in international policy and development settings. SCI has managed or co-managed solar-cooking projects in several humanitarian and low-income settings. Since 1995, cited project locations have included Kenya's Nyakach district, the Kakuma and Dadaab refugee camps in Kenya, the Aisha refugee camp in Ethiopia, and communities in Zimbabwe. One of the organization's best-known technology initiatives is the CooKit, a foldable, mass-producible cooker adapted from a design associated with French solar-cooking expert Roger Bernard. The CooKit uses a foil-lined cardboard reflector, a dark cooking pot, and a transparent plastic bag to retain heat. Its low-material design makes local assembly possible and has supported humanitarian projects in refugee camps. SCI and partner organizations supplied materials for more than 10,000 CooKit-style cookers for the Iridimi and Touloum refugee camps in Chad. Refugees assembled the cookers using donated cardboard, aluminum foil, and plastic bags, along with locally obtained Arabic gum. The project was intended to reduce the need for Darfuri women to leave camp to collect firewood, an activity associated with serious risks of violence and abduction. It also sought to reduce time spent tending open fires and to lessen pressure on local fuel resources. The organization also develops sector infrastructure. SCI sponsors and maintains the Solar Cooking Wiki, a collaborative reference resource covering solar-cooking technologies, organizations, manufacturers, designs, and country-level activity. The wiki also addresses related subjects such as heat-retention cooking, water pasteurization, solar food processing, drying, autoclaving, and canning. SCI publishes sector information and offers free online educational resources intended to strengthen the capacity of practitioners and advocates. A further focus is evidence and quality assurance. SCI spearheads the Solar Cooker Performance Evaluation Process, or PEP, an objective testing framework for measuring cooker performance, user experience, and quality. The program is aligned with relevant International Organization for Standardization guidance and is based on the ASAE S580.1 protocol for testing and reporting solar-cooker performance. SCI has identified testing centers in the United States, Kenya, and Nepal. It also gathers solar-cooking data, prepares country-level economic-impact summaries, and maintains information about the global distribution of solar cookers. SCI has estimated that more than four million solar cookers are in use worldwide. SCI has organized or co-sponsored international conferences and participates in global policy forums. Its public engagement has included conferences in the United States, Costa Rica, and India, as well as participation in COP26, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, and the CONSOLFOOD conference. The organization has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Recognition has included the 2002 Ashden Award for work in Kenya, the 2006 World Renewable Energy Award, and a 2021 Keeling Curve Prize in the Social and Cultural Pathways category. SCI remains best understood as a mission-driven international nonprofit brand supporting solar thermal cooking rather than as a conventional commercial appliance manufacturer.

Solar Cookers International was established in 1987 under the name Solar Box Cookers International. Barbara Kerr and Sherry Cole formed the organization with additional supporters to encourage the practical use of solar box cookers. Its initial approach was educational and technical: SCI created and distributed manuals explaining cooker construction and operation, while also arguing that solar cooking could be incorporated into development, relief, and humanitarian programs. During its first phase, SCI helped make solar-cooking knowledge more accessible beyond individual inventors and specialist communities. The organization later developed a networking role, bringing together organizations working on solar cooking in different countries and creating forums for technical and policy exchange. It co-sponsored international solar-cooking conferences with the University of the Pacific in the United States in 1992, the National University of Costa Rica in 1994, and a university in Coimbatore, India, in 1997. From 1995 onward, SCI managed or co-managed field projects in a number of challenging settings. These included Kenya's Nyakach district, the Kakuma and Dadaab refugee camps in Kenya, the Aisha refugee camp in Ethiopia, and communities in Zimbabwe. The projects linked the technical design of cookers with questions of fuel access, household labor, environmental degradation, and personal safety. SCI's humanitarian work became particularly associated with the CooKit, a lightweight and foldable cooker adapted from a design by Roger Bernard in France. Its reflector is made from foil-lined cardboard, and it uses a dark pot enclosed in a transparent plastic bag to capture and retain solar heat. A prominent CooKit initiative supported refugee communities in the Iridimi and Touloum camps in Chad. SCI, Jewish World Watch, and the Dutch foundation KoZon helped provide materials for more than 10,000 cookers. Refugees assembled the units themselves, using donated cardboard, aluminum foil, and plastic bags together with locally sourced Arabic gum. The project aimed to reduce firewood collection outside the camps, an activity that exposed Darfuri women to severe risks, while also reducing time spent managing open fires. As SCI matured, its activities expanded beyond individual projects. It developed advocacy and research programs, published information about the solar-cooking sector, and offered free educational resources. It also supported the Solar Cookers International Association, a network involving academics, policymakers, designers, manufacturers, entrepreneurs, innovators, humanitarian actors, environmentalists, and nongovernmental organizations. SCI has increasingly emphasized measurement and quality. The Solar Cooker Performance Evaluation Process was developed as a structured method for assessing performance, user experience, and product quality. The process was presented at the organization's fifth world conference in Sacramento in 2014 and demonstrated at the sixth world conference in Vadodara, Gujarat, in January 2017. PEP uses automated testing stations and harmonizes with relevant ISO guidance while drawing on the ASAE S580.1 testing and reporting protocol. SCI has identified testing centers in the United States, Kenya, and Nepal. The organization also sponsors and maintains the Solar Cooking Wiki, a collaborative knowledge base containing more than 1,700 articles on countries, organizations, manufacturers, cooker designs, and related technologies. SCI's research work includes gathering solar-cooking data, preparing country-specific economic-impact summaries, and mapping the worldwide distribution of solar cookers. It has estimated that more than four million solar cookers are in use globally. SCI has retained an international policy and convening role through regional and global conferences and participation in events such as COP26, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, and CONSOLFOOD. It holds consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Its recognition includes an Ashden Award in 2002 for Kenyan work, the World Renewable Energy Award in 2006, and a Keeling Curve Prize in 2021. SCI has also received recognition from the California State Legislature and the Center for African Peace and Conflict Resolution.

• 2021

  Keeling Curve Prize

  [1]Solar Cookers Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  SCI won in the Social and Cultural Pathways category for its work expanding carbon-free solar cooking.

• 2017

  PEP demonstrated at sixth world conference

  [1]Solar Cookers Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  SCI presented and demonstrated its performance-testing process in Vadodara, Gujarat, India.

• 2014

  Performance Evaluation Process prioritized

  [1]Solar Cookers Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Participants at SCI's fifth world conference identified objective solar-cooker performance evaluation as a high priority.

• 2006

  World Renewable Energy Award

  [1]Solar Cookers Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  SCI received the World Renewable Energy Award.

• 2002

  Ashden Award recognition

  [1]Solar Cookers Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  SCI won an Ashden Award for its solar-cooker work in Kenya.

• 1997

  International conference held in India

  [1]Solar Cookers Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  SCI co-sponsored a solar-cooking conference with a university in Coimbatore, India.

• 1995

  Field-project management expands

  [1]Solar Cookers Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  SCI began managing or co-managing solar-cooking projects in Kenya and subsequently in other refugee and community settings.

• 1994

  Conference held with the National University of Costa Rica

  [1]Solar Cookers Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  SCI continued its international convening work through a solar-cooking conference in Costa Rica.

• 1992

  First cited international solar-cooking conference partnership

  [1]Solar Cookers Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  SCI co-sponsored an international solar-cooking conference with the University of the Pacific in the United States.

• 1987

  Organization founded as Solar Box Cookers International

  [1]Solar Cookers Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Barbara Kerr, Sherry Cole, and other supporters established the nonprofit to advance solar box cooking.

A nonprofit global technical and advocacy organization that promotes practical, carbon-free solar cooking as a tool for health, environmental protection, humanitarian assistance, and sustainable development.

• Foldable solar cooker

  CooKit

  The CooKit is a lightweight, foldable solar cooker adapted from a design associated with Roger Bernard of France. A foil-lined cardboard reflector directs sunlight toward a dark cooking pot, which is placed inside a transparent plastic bag to retain heat. The design uses inexpensive, widely available materials and can be assembled locally, making it suitable for community projects and humanitarian settings. SCI supported its use in refugee-camp programs, including projects in Chad.

• Testing and standards program · 2017

  Performance Evaluation Process

  SCI's Performance Evaluation Process is an objective testing framework for assessing solar-cooker performance, user experience, and quality. The program uses automated instrumentation and is designed to harmonize with ISO guidance while drawing on the ASAE S580.1 protocol for testing and reporting solar-cooker performance. SCI has identified testing centers in the United States, Kenya, and Nepal.

• Knowledge resource

  Solar Cooking Wiki

  The Solar Cooking Wiki is a collaborative reference resource sponsored and maintained by SCI. It covers solar-cooking organizations, manufacturers, designs, countries, and related technologies such as heat-retention cooking, water pasteurization, solar food processing, drying, autoclaving, and canning. The resource is intended to support information sharing and capacity building across the global solar-cooking movement.

• 2021International climate and development advocacy

  Global

  SCI participated in forums including COP26, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, and CONSOLFOOD to advocate for solar cooking.

  Outcome. The activities raised the profile of solar cooking in climate, gender, health, and sustainable-development discussions.

  Source
• 1995Solar-cooking field projects

  Kenya · Ethiopia · Zimbabwe

  SCI managed or co-managed projects in Nyakach, the Kakuma and Dadaab refugee camps, the Aisha refugee camp, and communities in Zimbabwe.

  Outcome. The projects applied solar cooking in development, community, and humanitarian contexts, although project-level quantitative outcomes are not specified in the cited material.

  Source
• CooKit refugee-camp initiative in Chad

  Chad

  SCI worked with Jewish World Watch and KoZon to provide materials for more than 10,000 CooKit-style cookers in the Iridimi and Touloum refugee camps. Camp residents assembled the cookers themselves. The initiative sought to reduce dangerous firewood-collection trips and dependence on open fires.

  Outcome. The project reduced the need for some firewood collection and the amount of time spent tending fires, while supporting safer cooking practices.

  Source

• 2017

  Present the Performance Evaluation Process internationallyProduct launch

  Background

  SCI sought to improve confidence in solar cookers by providing a more consistent and scientific approach to performance testing.

  Action taken

  The organization presented and demonstrated the PEP system at its sixth world conference in Vadodara, India.

  Aftermath

  PEP became part of SCI's broader quality-assurance and sector-capacity-building work.

  Source

• 2014

  Prioritize standardized cooker-performance evaluationStrategy

  Background

  Participants at SCI's fifth world conference identified objective evaluation of solar-cooker performance, user experience, and quality as a major sector need.

  Action taken

  SCI spearheaded the Performance Evaluation Process and developed testing instrumentation and protocols.

  Aftermath

  The process was later demonstrated at the 2017 world conference and supported testing centers in the United States, Kenya, and Nepal.

  Source

• Expand from cooker promotion to movement infrastructureStrategy

  Background

  SCI's work evolved from distributing construction manuals and supporting individual projects toward strengthening the global solar-cooking ecosystem.

  Action taken

  SCI developed advocacy, research, conferences, online education, data analysis, the Solar Cooking Wiki, and the Solar Cookers International Association.

  Aftermath

  The organization became a convening and knowledge institution for solar-cooking practitioners, researchers, manufacturers, and humanitarian groups.

  Source

• 2021

  Solar Cookers International receives Keeling Curve Prize[1]Solar Cookers Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  SCI was named a winner in the Social and Cultural Pathways category for work supporting carbon-free solar cooking and associated health and environmental benefits.

• 2021

  SCI participates in international climate and development forums[1]Solar Cookers Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Campaign

  SCI used events including COP26 and other international forums to promote solar cooking and its potential contribution to climate, health, gender, and development objectives.

• 2017

  SCI presents the Performance Evaluation Process at its sixth world conference[1]Solar Cookers Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The organization's solar-cooker testing process and instrumentation were presented and demonstrated at the sixth SCI World Conference in Vadodara, India.

• 2006

  Solar Cookers International wins World Renewable Energy Award[1]Solar Cookers Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  SCI received the World Renewable Energy Award in recognition of its solar-cooking activities.

• 2002

  Solar Cookers International receives Ashden Award for work in Kenya[1]Solar Cookers Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  SCI was recognized for its solar-cooking work in Kenya.

1. 1Solar Cookers Internationalen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Solar Cookers International official websitesolarcookers.org