Solar Oven Market Heats Up
BY SCOTT KERBS • skerbs@thespectrum.com • April 5, 2009
ST. GEORGE- As sunshine spread warmth throughout Vernon Worthen Park in St. George, visitors participated in a solar cooking class and demonstration Saturday afternoon.
With an abundance of solar energy on hand, participants and event coordinators prepared cookies, hot dogs and a variety of additional treats as they demonstrated the solar cookers Saturday.
Paul Munsen, President of Sun Ovens International, an Illinois based company, visited the weekly cooking class to demonstrate his company's solar cooking appliances.
Harnessing solar energy with specially designed aluminum reflectors surrounding a sealed cooking chamber, Munsen said the company's Global Sun Oven, priced at $289, is capable of reaching 400 degrees Fahrenheit, heating foods rapidly without relying on gas or electricity.
In the summer months, Munsen said owners of solar ovens are also likely to see substantial utility savings, as they cut back on using traditional ovens, which often raise indoor temperatures, leading to additional power costs as air conditioners work overtime to maintain an ideal climate.
In addition to cutting energy costs, he said solar ovens produce more flavorful meals, as the product's sealed cooking chamber prevents food from burning or becoming dry as it restricts the movement of air.
"You can cut your carbon footprint and serve delicious nutritious food at home," said Jackie Harsha, the author of "Heaven Sent Food," a solar cookbook featuring more than 100 recipes for solar chefs.
St. George resident Patsy Lamb, a member of the solar cooking class led by Nathan Perry, the owner of Cantina West Enterprises, said she started using her solar oven about a week ago, and she highly recommends the product as she uses it to slow-cook meals without fear of burning the food.
"I'm cooking chicken in my backyard right now," Lamb said. "It is amazing."
While many companies witness plummeting sales as a result of the nationwide recession, Munsen said Sun Ovens International has seen tremendous growth, recording a 300 percent sales increase for the month of February.
"We have never seen sales like we are seeing now," he said, as the economic downturn has led many consumers to prepare for emergency situations.
Utah is an essential market for Sun Ovens International, he said, as the state accounted for approximately 35 percent of the company's worldwide sales in February.
"Many people in Utah are concerned with preparedness," he said, citing the possibility of a natural disaster and looming financial uncertainty as popular motivators for Utah's increasing number of buyers.
St. George resident Susan Reichner, attended the demonstration Saturday as she contemplated buying a solar oven in preparation for a financial or natural disaster.
"I am here to investigate," she said. "I want to be prepared. Not only for me, but for my 14 grandchildren."
The increase in sales has a tremendous impact on the company's work in developing countries, Munsen said, as Sun Ovens International uses a portion of its domestic profits to provide many impoverished regions with solar cooking appliances, including the massive Villager Sun Oven on display at Worthen park.
The Villager Sun Oven is used primarily for hospitals, orphanages and schools in developing countries, as the 980-pound oven is capable of cooking 1,200 meals a day in ideal weather conditions.
"Our sales in the U.S. help us offset the work we do around the world," he said, with the company's solar ovens available in 130 countries around the world.
BY SCOTT KERBS • skerbs@thespectrum.com • April 5, 2009
ST. GEORGE- As sunshine spread warmth throughout Vernon Worthen Park in St. George, visitors participated in a solar cooking class and demonstration Saturday afternoon.
With an abundance of solar energy on hand, participants and event coordinators prepared cookies, hot dogs and a variety of additional treats as they demonstrated the solar cookers Saturday.
Paul Munsen, President of Sun Ovens International, an Illinois based company, visited the weekly cooking class to demonstrate his company's solar cooking appliances.
Harnessing solar energy with specially designed aluminum reflectors surrounding a sealed cooking chamber, Munsen said the company's Global Sun Oven, priced at $289, is capable of reaching 400 degrees Fahrenheit, heating foods rapidly without relying on gas or electricity.
In the summer months, Munsen said owners of solar ovens are also likely to see substantial utility savings, as they cut back on using traditional ovens, which often raise indoor temperatures, leading to additional power costs as air conditioners work overtime to maintain an ideal climate.
In addition to cutting energy costs, he said solar ovens produce more flavorful meals, as the product's sealed cooking chamber prevents food from burning or becoming dry as it restricts the movement of air.
"You can cut your carbon footprint and serve delicious nutritious food at home," said Jackie Harsha, the author of "Heaven Sent Food," a solar cookbook featuring more than 100 recipes for solar chefs.
St. George resident Patsy Lamb, a member of the solar cooking class led by Nathan Perry, the owner of Cantina West Enterprises, said she started using her solar oven about a week ago, and she highly recommends the product as she uses it to slow-cook meals without fear of burning the food.
"I'm cooking chicken in my backyard right now," Lamb said. "It is amazing."
While many companies witness plummeting sales as a result of the nationwide recession, Munsen said Sun Ovens International has seen tremendous growth, recording a 300 percent sales increase for the month of February.
"We have never seen sales like we are seeing now," he said, as the economic downturn has led many consumers to prepare for emergency situations.
Utah is an essential market for Sun Ovens International, he said, as the state accounted for approximately 35 percent of the company's worldwide sales in February.
"Many people in Utah are concerned with preparedness," he said, citing the possibility of a natural disaster and looming financial uncertainty as popular motivators for Utah's increasing number of buyers.
St. George resident Susan Reichner, attended the demonstration Saturday as she contemplated buying a solar oven in preparation for a financial or natural disaster.
"I am here to investigate," she said. "I want to be prepared. Not only for me, but for my 14 grandchildren."
The increase in sales has a tremendous impact on the company's work in developing countries, Munsen said, as Sun Ovens International uses a portion of its domestic profits to provide many impoverished regions with solar cooking appliances, including the massive Villager Sun Oven on display at Worthen park.
The Villager Sun Oven is used primarily for hospitals, orphanages and schools in developing countries, as the 980-pound oven is capable of cooking 1,200 meals a day in ideal weather conditions.
"Our sales in the U.S. help us offset the work we do around the world," he said, with the company's solar ovens available in 130 countries around the world.
