Inti

Last edited: 17 July 2023

Bolivia-Inti blue box cookers cropped — Local villagers in Bolivia proudly display their recently completed solar box cookers using their new carpentry skills.

The French organization Inti credits three “Ps” for their successes in spreading solar cookers: Passion, Perseverance, and Positive attitude. As of 2018, Inti had distributed more than 19,000 solar cookers in the Andean countries of Bolivia, Chile, Peru and Argentina, benefiting 120,000 people in communities there. Thirty of their solar cooking trainers are present in these Andean countries. Inti also distributes Rocket Stoves in Chile and Argentina. In addition, it has several initiatives in the African countries of Benin, Guinea, Senegal, and Morocco where an emphasis is placed on the wood saving aspect of solar cookers and Rocket Stoves. Over 16,000 Rocket Stoves have also been distributed in these countries.

In their home country of France, Inti has programs for school age children centered around solar cooking.

Most significant projects[]

Bolivia and Peru have benefitted from successful solar cooking programs - The French NGO, Inti and Bolivian NGO CEDESOL has trained thousands of Bolivians and Peruvians to build and use sturdy solar box cookers and fuel-efficient woodstoves. See Inti projects.

See other significant solar cooking projects worldwide.

Events[]

See Calendar of events.Calendar of events

News[]

Inti workshop, 7-17-23 — Photo credit: **Inti**

Sunday, 13 August 2023 (Lodève (34) France): Solar cooker workshop - Inti has organized a solar cooker construction and use workshop in Garden des Berges - 34700 Lodève. No special skills required, a trainer will be there to guide you through the assembly stages. You may be asked to bring a minimum of tools, ranging from wooden pencil to screwdriver. Details after registration. The price includes the purchase and preparation of the materials consisting of this foldable and removable solar cooker box (162.50 €) and membership to the Inti association (20 €). It also allows us to participate, modestly, in the distribution of energy-saving cookers, carried out by Inti's partners in Africa and South America. Spots to 10/12 cookers. Contact: inti.34@orange.fr

Inti- Benin solar drying, 4-23-21 — **Inti** has partnered with the youth organization, REJEVE, based in Natitingou, Benin to create a solar food drying processing venture. *Photo credit: Inti*

April 2021: Youth-based solar food drying venture in Benin - The SéDEc project is led by Inti in partnership with REJEVE, the Youth Network for a Green Economy based in Natitingou in Benin and Kocali Food, a social enterprise that markets local agri-food products. The objective of the project is to develop energetically innovative activities by creating a network for the production and marketing of products transformed by solar drying. The Initial project focuses on drying mango for sale. More information...
October 2020: Bolivia Inti-Sud Soleil changes name to Inti - Following the votes at the EGM of October 6, 2020 validating the new statutes of the association, Bolivia Inti - Sud Soleil (BISS) becomes Inti! Bolivia Inti-Sud Soleil -
May 2019: Rapport d’activités 2018
June 2018: Rapport d’activités 2017
February 2018: Bolivia Inti-Sud Soleil visits Haiti to consult on improving the cooking situation there: Retour sur la mission d’expertise - (English version)
August 2017: At the recent meeting of the Humanitarian Environment Network, Bolivia Inti-Sud Soleil presented several solar cookers and rocket stoves which they use in both development and emergency contexts.

BISS adding photovoltaic to solar cooker - August 2015

September 2015: Bolivia Inti-Sud Soleil (BISS), in association with Engineers without Borders, has started a new project called Plug in Peru (PIP), implemented by three engineering students from École Centrale de Nantes. Photovoltaic (PV) panels were added to the solar stoves, which were distributed in the Andes. While the solar cooker is in position for cooking, these PV panels will store energy to charge cell phones, radios, and batteries – a need that was identified in the local villages. The students’ project was based in La Paz, on the premises of Inti Illimani (BISS’ partner in Bolivia), which enabled the team to obtain the necessary materials and build the kits before the workshop which was organized in the community of Ch'uxña Quta, 250 km north of La Paz. Despite some initial technical difficulties, this project raised interest from the local population, and the team left one of the kits behind so that the villagers could use it as needed. Follow-up visits will be made by local teams to evaluate the use of the kits.
August 2015: Des jeunes d’un centre de loisirs sensibilisés à la cuisson solaire - (English version)
August 2015: BISS is starting a new project to add photovoltaic panels to its solar stoves to allow electricity to also be produced. Read more: French - (English version)
July 2015: Bolivia Inti-Sud Soleil published a July 2015 newsletter which offers updates on its latest activities. Read the newsletter on their website -.

Robert Chiron with baked bread — Robert Chiron

April 2015: Bolivia Inti-Sud Soleil announces the sad passing of its founder, Robert Chiron - Read more about professor Chiron's significant contribution to the spread of integrated cooking. (English translation.)
March 2015: Students at Lcycée Jaques de Vaucanson are studying the effectiveness of the BISS solar cooker, designed by Bolivia Inti-Sud Soleil. They are reporting their progress on this blog.
February 2015: Bolivia Inti-Sud Soleil, Newsletter, February 2015
September 2014: Bolivia Inti-Sud Soleil reported the following data on their distribution of solar cookers, water heaters, heat retainer cookers, rocket stoves, and solar food dryers:
- Bolvia: 6,378 solar cookers since 2000 and 30 water heaters since 2013.
- Puno, Peru: 3,835 solar cookers since 2001.
- Arequipa, Peru: 3,533 solar cookers since 2005.
- Chile: 2,193 solar cookers since 2003, 883 heat retainer cookers since 2006, 1,007 rocket stoves since 2009, and 28 solar dryers in 2011.
- Argentina: 473 solar cookers, 1,241 rocket stoves, and 62 heat retainer cookers between 2008 and 2012.
January 2014: Volunteers for Bolivia Inti-Sud Soleil, Michel Perrin and Jacques Prévost, have recently finished a comparative test of ten various biomass stoves. It can be reviewed here: Tests D'E'Bullition D'eau