Evaluation of usage and fuel savings of solar ovens in Nicaragua

I evaluated solar oven usage and wood consumption in northern Nicaragua during both the rainy and dry seasons using surveys, temperature dataloggers placed in solar ovens, and direct measurements of wood consumption. Solar oven owners surveyed reported usage on 79% of days during the dry season, and 41% of days during the rainy season. I compared these results with oven temperature records, and found elevated oven temperatures (>50°C) on 70% of days with reported use during the dry season, and 47% of days with reported use during the rainy season. However, wood consumption measurements showed no statistically significant difference between days with solar oven usage and days without, suggesting that frequency of usage is not linearly related to fuel savings. In this report, I discuss possible explanations for this discrepancy, and implications for future research and solar oven implementation.