Bangladesh

Last edited: 2 June 2020

Bangladeshi woman solar cooking during a flood

Online events

Carnegie Science Center Café Scientifique

• NEW:  Monday, 2 November 2020 (7-9 p.m. EST, 11 p.m.-1 a.m. GMT): D.A.R.E to Solar Cook - The Physics of Cooking with Sunshine - The Carnegie Science Center is sponsoring a Café Scientifique. Solar advocates Mary Buchenic and Jennifer Gasser will share their experiences promoting the solar cooking STEM curriculum, and Dr. Alan Bigelow, SCI Science Director, will discuss the technical details of solar cooking and incorporating the science of materials and light optics. Participation in the event is free, but pre-registration is required. Registration information

• NEW:  3-6 November 2020: The 5th International Conference on New Energy and Future Energy Systems - A scientific interchange among researchers, developers, engineers, students, and practitioners from around the world. They gather to share their latest achievements, and discuss the possible challenges for current energy and future energy systems. More information...

• NEW:  23 - 27 November 2020: 1er. Congreso Nacional de Secado Solar y Cocción Solar de Alimentos - Presentación en línea de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), en español. Contacto: ensycsa@ier.unam.mx

• December 2020: SWC50 – The Century of Solar - In 1970 solar research pioneers met at the first International Solar Energy Society (ISES) Conference in Melbourne Australia. ISES is commemorating this Conference with a special 50th Anniversary Conference and Display, called the Solar World Congress at 50 (SWC50). The face-to-face conference, originally scheduled for 2-4 December 2020, will be replaced by a series of eight virtual conferences over the course of the month in December 2020. It will include the same panel sessions that were planned for the in-person planned event. More information...

Have your event listed here by emailing webmaster@solarcooking.org.

See also: Global Calendar of Events and past events in Bangladesh

News

• February 2020: Bangladeshi government appeals for more partners to help roll-out off-grid solar - PV Magazine

Image credit: Rebecca Green

• March 2019: A tale of a young boy's adventure with solar cooking - A story written by Elizabeth Suneby, of a young Bangladeshi boy who enters his school's sustainability contest with a solar cooker design to help his family's health. More information...

IDCOL Improved Cook Stove roundtable in Dhaka, Bangladesh Photo credit: The Daily Star

• October 2017: Seeking answers to improve stove efficiency - Participants met at the Daily Star Centre in Dhaka, Bangladesh for a roundtable discussion, which focused on promoting the use of improved combustion stoves. The event was sponsored by the Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (IDCOL), a state-run financial institution, and The Daily Star news organization. One speaker, Dr. Ainun Nishat, suggested the group needed to broaden its horizon beyond biomass stoves, and consider solar cooking as an option. Read more...

Bangladeshi woman cooking during flood

• July 2009: Terry Elliott reports that he and his wife Carole have been busy raising solar cooker awareness in the village of Boroudha, where Carole founded the Wear Surma Child Health Clinic in 1992. While at the clinic, the Elliotts became increasingly aware of health problems caused by traditional indoor cooking fires. Children are often burned in these fires, and the smoke causes respiratory illnesses. Firewood is also expensive, whereas solar energy is free. In addition to demonstrations at hotels and in the village, the Elliotts solar cooked a meal of fish, vegetable curry, lentils and rice for several local Rotarians. “To say that the group was impressed is an understatement … they are hooked!” says Elliott. The Rotary Club of Jalalabad in Sylhet has proposed to set up a workshop to manufacture 1,000 solar cookers and hire trainers to teach solar cooking in a number of villages in northeastern Bangladesh. The budget for the project is about UK £6000, and a matching grant may be requested from Rotary International.

History

Main article: History of solar cooking

Archived articles

• Terry Elliott

Climate and culture

• Wikipedia article on the climate of Bangladesh
• Bangladesh Energy Situation - Energypedia
• Solar cooker dissemination and cultural variables

Resources

Possible funders

• Find a Kiva microfinance partner in Bangladesh.
• Raising funds through grants and donations

Facebook groups

• German Aid for Afghan Children
• The Lady Fatemah Trust

Reports

• April 2014: Lutfur Rahman sees the need for a solar cooker that would include photovoltaic panels and battery storage as part of the solar cooker. The simple electrical addition would provide power for modest LED in-home lighting. Solar Cooker for Vulnerable Coastal Areas - Lutfur Rahman
• January 2009: Solar Drying of Mushrooms in Bangladesh - B. K. Bala, M. A. Morshed, M. F. Rahman
• May 2008: Solar Cookers: Bangladesh Perspective - Akter Hossain

Articles in the media

• March 2020: Exploiting renewable energy resources - The Financial Express
• February 2019: Bangladeshi government appeals for more partners to help roll-out off-grid solar - PV Magazine
• October 2017: Green initiative goes slow, lacks support - The Daily Star
• February 2010: Introducing Clean Technologies - The Financial Express

Contacts

The entities listed below are either based in Bangladesh, or have established solar cooking projects there:

SCI Associates

Main article: Solar Cookers International Association

NGOs

• German Aid for Afghan Children
• Lady Fatemah Trust