Solar cookers for all (Sc4all) is a collaboration between UHasselt and the University of Lubumbashi (UniLu, the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC) and made possible by the Belgian government (VLIR-UOS*).
The aim of the project is to do research and development of inexpensive homemade solar cookers for domestic use. Two Centres of Excellence (CoE) have been set-up at both universities that will facilitate the education of a new generation of students to come up with innovative sustainable solutions. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations are at the core of these Centres of Excellence with a main focus on human health and protection of the tropical forests.
Solar cookers use the energy of direct sunlight to heat food by means of reflective panels. Different types of solar cooker appliances have been developed and made commercially available (Solar Cooker International). However, this project aims to develop, test and deploy novel solar cooker devices that are manufactured locally in resource limited settings with a focus on acceptance by the community.
*Sc4all is made possible by the Belgian government through the Flemish Interuniversity Council for University Development Cooperation (VLIR-UOS), financed by the Federal Public Service for Development Cooperation.
We’re excited to share our latest article, "Charcoal and Firewood Use in Urban Areas of Developing Countries: Drivers, Consequences, and the Need for Clean Cooking Solutions," published in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews.
This work explores:
- Dependence on wood energy in developing countries
- Environmental and social impacts of wood energy use
- Alternatives for reducing dependence on wood energy
- The role of public policy and awareness in the transition to clean energy
🗓️ Enjoy free access until June 4, 2025 via this 🔗 link.
We invite you to read, share, and engage with the discussion!
On February 26, 2025, Sylvain Balume Baderha delivered an insightful presentation on the Solar Cooker project at the African Conference on Resilient and Sustainable Cities in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. His talk highlighted research towards sustainable cooking in Lubumbashi
If you want to learn more about the research and results, you can find the publication here.
All conference proceedings can be found here