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Last edited: 19 March 2020
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![]() In March 2015 Solar Clutch, under the supervision of Steve Harrigan, explored new ways to adapt local materials to create effective and inexpensive solar panel cookers. Local cooks in Mauritania have developed ways to mimic frying fish with their solar cookers. Several variations of CooKit-style cookers were created from locally available and durable water-resident cardboard and sheet metal. The material for each of these versions cost less than $5USD. Mauritania has also instituted a ban on local plastic bag production due to the trash waste created. The group then experimented with Sterlite brand food containers for the greenhouse enclosure with great success. The box material is clear polypropylene, food-grade and is the same material as the autoclave bag material.
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Events[]
Featured international events[]
- 3-7 November 2025 (Fortaleza, Brazil): Solar World Congress 2025 - The Solar World Congress (SWC) is the official congress of the International Solar Energy Society (ISES), held every two years since 1970. It is the world’s largest event for scientific and technological dissemination in the field of solar energy conversion technologies, along with other renewable energy sources. The congress gathers professors, researchers, students, public managers, company representatives, and other professionals in this field. SWC 2025 will take place at a crucial time for global discussions on the advancement of renewable energy, as COP30 will take place in Belem, Brazil only a few days after SWC 2025 closes. (Early bird registration by 7 August 2025) More information...
- NEW: 10-21 November 2025 (Belém, Brazil):The Conference of the Parties (COP30) - The largest global United Nations event for discussions and negotiations on climate change. COP is held annually, with the presidency rotating among the five UN-recognized regions. In 2025, Brazil will have the honor of hosting the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30). The chosen city will provide the world with a unique platform to discuss climate solutions, firmly rooted in the heart of the Amazon. The event will gather world leaders, ministers and representatives of international organizations to discuss how to tackle the climate crisis through fair and sustainable energy transitions, as well as forest and biodiversity conservation. Solar Cookers International's, Executive Director, Caitlyn Hughes, Science Director, Dr. Alan Bigelow, and Strategic Partnerships Manager, Keith Wingeard, will be representing the solar cooking community. The SCI team will showcase the success of new programs in Mali and the Central African Republic, along with progress from the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. See the schedule of SCI's participation and presentations...
- See also: Global Calendar of Events and past events in Mauritania
News[]
Solar Clutch corrugated sheet metal solar panel cooker - Solar Clutch
- March 2015: Innovative cooking and sheet metal solar cookers - Solar Clutch, under the supervision of Steve Harrigan, explored new ways to adapt local materials to create effective and inexpensive solar panel cookers. Local cooks in Mauritania have developed ways to mimic frying fish with their solar cookers. Several variations of CooKit-style cookers were created from locally available and durable water-resistent cardboard and sheet metal. The material for each of these versions cost less than $5USD. Mauritania has also instituted a ban on local plastic bag production due to the trash waste created. The group then experimented with Sterlite brand food containers for the greenhouse enclosure with great success. The box material is clear polypropylene, food-grade and is the same material as the autoclave bag material. They also found clear plastic buckets in the local markets that worked very well as greenhouse enclosures. Read more...
Mauritanian solar cooked pizza is prepared at a Solar Clutch workshop. - Solar Clutch
- October 2014: Increased demand and success for solar cooking in Mauritania - Solar Clutch has teamed up with Lutheran World Federation to introduce solar cooking to refugees entering Mauritania to escape the civil unrest from neighboring Mali. The number of new refugees to Mauritania has stressed available solar cooking resources. With a group of ten instructors, the Solar Clutch team developed a system to quickly train new instructors by having students demonstrate their new skills back to the group. They also encouraged using fuel-efficient cookstoves when good sun was not available. Tasty local recipes were successfully solar prepared. Again, an example of a group doing a lot with limited resources. Read more at: Solar Cooker Report Mauritania, April 2014
SolarCooker Eco3 new cookpot support
- January 2013: Improvements to the SolarCooker Eco3 - Significant improvements have been made to the SolarCooker Eco3 over the past six months. The cookpot holder will now carry up to 7 kg. (15.4 lbs.) of weight. The reflector support has been modified to allow it to position the reflector for nearly perpendicular sun positions. The cooker is now able to boil six liters of water with a reflecting surface of only 1.25 square meters. Evaluation of the earlier solar cooking project in Senegal has begun. Early impressions reinforce the need for long-term education and the continued local presence of dedicated trainers. A new pilot project has started in another area of Senegal, near St Louis in the "Langue de Barbarie". About 250 solar cookers were to be introduced by the end of 2012 (after the rainy season). A second new solar cooking project is underway in Mauritania with the financial support of the United Nations. Read more at Solar Cooking NV Fall 2012 update
Climate and culture[]
- The climate of Mauritania - Wikipedia
- Mauritania Energy Situation - Energypedia
- March 2015: Mauritania has instituted a ban on local plastic bag production due to the litter created.[1]
Resources[]
Possible funding[]
Reports[]
- February 2015: Solar Clutch report
- April 2014: Solar Cooker Report Mauritania
Construction plans in Arabic[]
- CooKit variation (made from smaller pieces of cardboard)
Contacts[]
The entities listed below are either based in Mauritania or have initiated solar cooking projects there:

