The Kyoto Box, a solar cooker which retails for €15 (about $20 USD) can boil 10 liters (2.64 gallons) of water in 2 hours.

So apart from its primary uses – cooking and water purification – it can probably be pressed into service to sterilize medical instruments.

The manufacturer, Kyoto-Energy, has offices in Indonesia, South Africa, and headquarters in Kenya, which suggests local production.

According to the WHO, 1.6 million people die worldwide annually from gases produced by indoor cooking. ¹

The Kyoto Box, then, has a number of virtues:

• no scale requirements; because they’re entirely autonomous, one or one million in use will have an effect;
• reduction of indoor air pollution deaths; and used in scale, a reduction in outdoor

  air pollution as well;

• reduction of water-borne diseases via water purification, and food-borne diseases via cooking;
• lowering of energy costs;
• where wood is used for fuel, a reduction of deforestation, with the long-term effects of mitigating flood risk and increasing the availability of lumber and tree shade

1. More than half of the world’s population rely on dung, wood, crop waste or coal to meet their most basic energy needs. Cooking and heating with such solid fuels on open fires or stoves without chimneys leads to indoor air pollution. This indoor smoke contains a range of health-damaging pollutants including small soot or dust particles that are able to penetrate deep into the lungs. In poorly ventilated dwellings, indoor smoke can exceed acceptable levels for small particles in outdoor air 100-fold. Exposure is particularly high among women and children, who spend the most time near the domestic hearth. Every year, indoor air pollution is responsible for the death of 1.6 million people – that’s one death every 20 seconds.  Source: WHO Fact Sheet, “Indoor Air Pollution and Health, ” dated June 2005.

First Water Systems – based in Marietta, Georgia – makes AC/Solar systems for pumping, water purification and re-use. Some are designed for fixed installation, others for mobile use by disaster responders. The OutPost-4, which can easily be carried in a pickup truck or trailer, is solar-powered, and can process 4 gallons per minute – 720 gallons per hour. Assuming only 8 hours of daylight – 5,760 gallons. It’s safe to assume one gallon per person per day will be adequate – so even only powered in daylight, this unit can purify water for over 5,000 people.(We’re not sure if it can be augmented by external electricity sources – and caution that it should also be assumed that the water to be purified has already been pumped level to the purifier).

This would also, of course, require about 100 55 gallon barrels and sufficient personnel and equipment (e.g. handtrucks) to transport the purified water. So planning around using this system will require a bit of planning and expense in addition to acquisition of the unit.

This is just one of a number of units in First Water Systems’ product line; we hope to have more information about this unit – including cost – and other units – in the near future.

MetaEfficient reports that starting in 2010, Hawaii will require solar hot water heaters in new residential construction

Hawaii has become the first state to require solar water heaters in new homes. The bill was signed into law by Governor Linda Lingle, a Republican. It requires the energy-saving systems in homes starting in 2010. It prohibits issuing building permits for single-family homes that do not have solar water heaters. Hawaii relies on imported fossil fuels more than any other state, with about 90 percent of its energy sources coming from foreign countries, according to state data.

The new law prohibits issuing building permits for single-family homes that do not have solar water heaters. Some exceptions will be allowed, such as forested areas where there are low amounts of sunshine.

State Sen. Gary Hooser, vice chairman of the Energy and Environment Committee, first introduced the measure five years ago when he said a barrel of oil cost just $40. Since then, the cost of oil has more than tripled.

“It’s abundantly clear that we need to take some serious action to protect Hawaii because we’re so dependent on oil,” Hooser said. “I’m very pleased the governor is recognizing the importance of this bill and the huge public benefits that come out of it.”

Other Resources

Makezine – several recipes for DIY solar hot water heaters

Another recipe from Makezine

From the Sietch – a solar water heater

also suitable for distillation, purification, and possible boiling/cooking. Thanks to Sustainable Design Update for the link