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Hi, I'm Mike Freeman
and I'm an engineer for ComEd.

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I work in the 
Distribution Capacity Planning Department.

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When people think about summertime
they often think about sunshine.

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The sun drives our schedules
and even our moods.

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But the energy from the sun

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is responsible for driving nearly
every process on the earth

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as it provides us light, heat,
and energy to power our homes.

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While Illinois might not be
the sunniest state,

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solar energy is very useful here.

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There's plenty of sunlight
to power solar energy.

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First let's talk about solar energy.

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Every day the sun radiates
or sends out

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an enormous amount of energy
called solar energy.

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It radiates more energy in one day
than the world uses in one year.

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This energy comes from
within the sun itself

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from a process called nuclear fusion.

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Nuclear fusion turns 
the hydrogen in the sun into helium

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by fusing two hydrogens together.

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This process releases a lot of energy
in the form of light.

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This light is so strong and bright,

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it can travel 93 million miles to earth
and can still power solar calculators,

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grow some corn
or heat some water.

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When we use solar energy 
for electricity in Illinois,

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we transform the light energy
directly into electricity

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using a solar cell
or a photovoltaic cell.

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These solar panels like you might see
on your calculator,

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in a field, on a light post,
or on the roof of a building

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all work the same way.

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The cells are made of silicon,
the same substance that makes up sand.

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Electricity is produced
when radiant energy from the sun

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strikes a solar cell,

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causing electrons in the silicon
to move around.

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The actions of the electrons
starts an electric current.

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The conversion of sunlight into electricity
takes place silently and instantly.

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There are no mechanical parts
to wear out.

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Solar energy can also easily be transformed
into heat when it hits the surface.

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We can use it to heat water,
dry crops of laundry,

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warm our homes,
and so much more.

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Any device that captures light
and turns it into thermal energy or heat

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is called a solar collector.

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If you've ever gotten into a car
on a sunny day,

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you've probably felt the sun's energy
transform from light to heat

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when you sat on the hot seats
of the car.

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When sunlight passes through
or is absorbed by a surface,

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it is transformed 
into thermal energy.

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We want to take a closer look
at this transformation today

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by building an oven
and cooking food using only sunlight.

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To build a solar oven
you'll need some cardboard

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or a container
like a recycled pizza box

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or even a Pringles can.

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If you're using a pizza box,

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you can follow the instructions
on the handout

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to make a flap
inside the lid of the box.

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You'll use black paper under the food
to help absorb the sun's energy.

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You'll also use aluminum foil
to reflect the sunlight

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back onto the food
in black areas.

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The instructions guide you
where to place these items,

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but you can certainly
try your own designs.

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Add an extra foil, or black paper
based on your container and design.

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You want to make sure you seal
your plastic wrap on the top well,

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so the light comes in
but gets trapped as heat

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and can't escape
through any of the cracks.

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Once your oven 
or cooker is assembled,

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you're now ready
to head outside.

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As you can see,
I used the pizza box design.

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Here's my finished product.

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Be cautious of the temperature 
to avoid heat or burn injuries.

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Now lets grab something to cook.

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You can melt cheese on nachos,
steam some veggies,

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melt chocolate for smores,
and maybe even cook a hotdog.

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Make sure you place your oven
in direct sunlight.

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If your design has a flap,
consider using a skewer,

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a stick, or even a plastic fork
to help prop it open

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so that it provides
maximum reflection.

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You may also need 
to reposition your oven

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every so often
as the sun's position shift's in the sky.

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Don't forget to take
a video clip

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of your solar oven design
and your final dish.

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Submit a video to
stemneverstops@comed.com

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that shares your clip
and explains what solar energy is

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and how your oven
transferred light energy to cook.

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Bon appétit.