Background
Energy lies at the heart of all human activity; it is the foundation of industrial civilisation. Modern life would cease to exist in the absence of energy. Historically, energy sources were in short supply since they were largely used for cooking and local manufacturing. However, as the population grew and technology advanced, there was a greater demand for energy. The conventional sources of energy, which include fossil fuels and nuclear fuels, are the primary sources of energy. According to Oleg and Ralph (2019), the majority of modern industrial society's energy needs are met by fossil fuels, which include petroleum, coal, and natural gas. Other applications include transportation, household heating, and power generating. Nuclear fuels are used to create power, however due to the high degree of oversight and maintenance required, they are mostly employed in industrialized countries.
Hydroelectric power, solar energy, wind energy, biomass, ocean thermal energy, tidal energy, and geothermal energy are examples of non-conventional (renewable) energy sources, but their potential is still underutilized because they are much more expensive to harness than energy derived from fossil fuels. Because hydroelectric power involves a big capital investment, it is frequently uneconomical in areas where coal or oil are cheap. As a result, they supply just a small portion of the world's vast energy demand. However, the worry of fossil fuel depletion as a result of rapid use has prompted greater development of these alternative energy sources, such as solar energy.
One of the most pressing challenges in people's everyday lives all across the world is the requirement for household energy. Cooking and lighting are the most energy-intensive activities in most houses and use of electrical appliances. Cooking accounts for a staggering 91 percent of household energy consumption, lighting uses up to 6 percent and the remaining 3 percent can be attributed to the use of basic electrical appliances such as televisions and pressing irons (Temilade, 2008). Cooking is an activity that must be carried out almost on a daily basis for the sustenance of life. An enormous amount of energy is thus expended regularly on cooking. Cooking may be classified in four major categories based on the required range of temperature, viz. baking (85-90°C), boiling (100 to 130°C), frying (200 to 250°C) and roasting (more than 300°C).
The primary household energy carriers are fuel wood, kerosene, electricity and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). In Nigeria, Fuelwood is the most widely used, supplying over 80 percent of household energy, while less than 20 percent is supplied by the other sources and complemented by small quantities of coal and charcoal (Huseyn Serder and Ali 2017). Fuelwood is often collected from the local environment in rural areas or purchased through markets in urban areas. Renewable energy alternatives include biogas, which is used for household heating, cooking and lighting, as well as agricultural and industrial activities.
Solar radiation presents an alternative energy source for a variety of applications. Solar radiation has been identified as the largest renewable resource on earth. The maximum intensity of solar radiation at the earth’s surface is about 1.2kW/m2, but it is encountered only near the equator on clear days at noon. Under these ideal conditions, the total energy received is from 6 - 8 kWh/m2 per day. Dasin, Asere and Habou (2021) opined that its intensity varies according to season, geographical location, and orientation of the collector. Solar energy is not available continuously because of the day/night cycle and cloud cover.
Solar cooking offers an effective method of utilizing solar energy for meeting a considerable demand for cooking energy and hence, protecting the environment. Fortunately,
Nigeria is among the twenty one countries with the highest potential for solar cooking (www.solarcooking.wikia.com). Nigeria lies within a high sunshine belt and thus, has an enormous solar energy potential. The mean annual average of total solar radiation varies from about 3.5 kWhm–2day-1 in the coastal latitudes to about 7 kWhm–2day-1 along the semi arid areas in the far North(Sambo, 2009). The country receives an average solar radiation at the level of about 19.8 MJm–2 day-1. Average sunshine hours are estimated at 6hrs per day. Solar radiation is fairly well distributed. The minimum average is about 3.55 kWhm–2day-1 in Katsina in January and 3.4 kWhm–2day-1 for Calabar in August and the maximum average is 8.0 kWhm–2day-1 for Nguru in May (Sambo, 2009).
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