Nepal Solar Cooker Project

Where?

Himalaya trekking regions of Nepal.

Project Objective

In Nepal in autumn 2007 we purchased the first of what we hope will be many parabolic solar cookers. Although they can never totally replace fuel burning stoves they have a wide range of benefits, the key ones being:

• A reduction in the use of wood as a fuel which helps save the forests
• A reduction in the time spent (mainly by women and children) collecting the wood, thus allowing them to perform other tasks or simply have more family time to relax and play. In certain areas collecting wood in forests can also be dangerous because of attacks by wild animals
• A reduction in the use of expensive kerosene, which saves money for local communities
• A reduction in time spent in smoke filled rooms that so easily causes serious respiratory health problems
• A reduction in carbon emissions that ultimately harm the planet we live on

Who is Involved?

Valarie Parkinson (Exodus' Nepal Base Manager) and Peter Burrell (Managing Director, Exodus Travels).

Explanation of Project and Targets

• In November the first two cookers were taken to Lukla in the Everest region and are now in use.
• The next 20 cookers have been ordered and in spring 2008 we aim to have cookers in most of the lodges we use on our treks in the Everest region
• From there the plan is to expand the project to the Annapurna region and beyond
• At the same time we hope to be able to put cookers into some of the more remote villages so as to help the local communities that do not receive the economic benefits from the trekking industry

In Nepal in autumn 2007 we purchased the first of what we hope will be many parabolic solar cookers. These cookers are one of those rare things in life that are genuinely a good thing for all concerned.

Although they can never totally replace fuel burning stoves they have a wide range of benefits. The stoves are assembled locally in the Kathmandu Valley apart from the reflectors, which have to be imported. Our first stove was tested on the roof of our Kathmandu offices and now supplies the endless supply of tea needed by our hard working office staff as well as their hot lunches. Since then several of our Nepali leaders spent a day at the workshop learning how to erect the stoves so that we could start installing them in some of the lodges we use in the mountains.