Introducing solar powered cooking to urban slums
Our research is improving living conditions and reducing emissions
Around three billion people across the world, primarily in developing countries, use biomass cooking stoves in their homes to cook their food. The biomass used is often wood, which when burned creates potentially serious health risks and huge environmental implications.
Dr Tasmiat Rahman, Assistant Professor in the School of Electronics and Computer Science, is leading a project in the heart of the Bangladeshi slums to introduce the use of solar powered cookers in a bid to improve conditions and reduce emissions.
“This project brings together the science and practicality of implementing an e-cooker, or electric cooker, network in a slum environment, with the social and cultural implications of engaging with the slum community and instigating behaviour change,” explained Tasmiat.
“This project brings together the science and practicality of implementing an e-cooker, or electric cooker, network in a slum environment, with the social and cultural implications of engaging with the slum community and instigating behaviour change,” explained Tasmiat.
It is an important area of study because we know that cooking with wood can cause serious respiratory illness, particularly for women and children who are in the home environment a lot. We also know open flames in the home pose a huge safety risk for the families and that wood fires cause deforestation and the emission of dangerous greenhouse gases.
Read the full story in Re:action, the University’s research and enterprise magazine.
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