Do I need special recipes to cook in a Global Sun Ovenâ? 

The Global Sun Ovenâ reaches temperatures comparable to that of conventional ovens, therefore no special recipes are required. A good rule of thumb is to add 10 to 15 minutes of cooking time for each time the oven door is opened. 

What are the dimensions of the Global Sun Ovenâ? 

The size of the Global Sun Ovenâ is 19'' X 19'' with an average depth of 11''. The total weight is only 21 pounds. 

Can I use a Global Sun Ovenâ in the winter? 

Yes. The most important factor in using a Global Sun Ovenâ is the brightness of the day, NOT the outside air temperature. Often, a 40-degree, clear, low-humidity day will allow food to cook faster than a 100-degree day with high humidity. The Global Sun Ovenâ has been used very successfully at the base camp of a Mt. Everest expedition where the temperatures are often well below zero. There are, however, more cooking hours available in the summer than in the winter. In the early summer, it is not unusual to cook from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, whereas during the early winter, effective cooking is limited to 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. 

How does it work? 

The black surfaces on the inside of the oven captures and transforms the sun's energy into a form that cannot escape the oven chamber. When a Global Sun Ovenâ is focused in the sun, the interior of the oven is heated by the sun's energy. Direct and reflected sunlight enters the oven chamber through the glass door. It then turns to heat energy when it is absorbed by the black inner-shell and Levelator. This heat input causes the temperature inside the oven to rise until the heat loss of the oven is equal to the solar heat gain. The light energy absorbed by dark pots and the oven's dark interior is converted into longer wavelength heat energy. Most of this longer-wavelength radiant energy can not pass back out through the glass, ensuring more efficient cooking. 

Are Global Sun Ovensâ used in countries outside of the United States? 

Yes. Currently they are being used in 126 countries around the world. In many of these countries, they purchase unassembled Global Sun Ovensâ and complete the final assembly on location. This reduces the overall cost of the ovens and shipping while creating jobs locally. The demands of massive population growth, and inefficient conversion of wood to charcoal, have outstripped the third world forests' ability to regenerate. The ecological effect of wood fuel is burdensome and has a far-reaching negative global impact. These global trends will lead to environmental destabilization leading to deforestation and global warming. Science strongly supports the fact that deforestation for agricultural and fuel use is changing weather patterns, causing soil erosion, and depleting plant and animal life. Sun Ovensâ offer a powerful solution to the effects of deforestation, and can have an enormous positive impact on the everyday life of millions of people in underdeveloped countries by improving their nutrition, health, and quality of life.