Guidelines
Solar Event @ Open Boat
«Watching the preparations and tasting solar-made pancakes, popcorn, tea and coffee, the public gets
to know the benefits of solar energy in the most direct way possible.» (Vânia Stolze, Greenpeace Brazil,
Open Boat Rio+20)
Opportunity and Objectives
Solar event @ Open Boat is a good opportunity to demonstrate the energy of the sun in terms of
electricity and heat, by organizing a small solar event within the big Open-Boat-event. The interest, the
public and the press attention during the open boat day in Brazil were simply overwhelming.
Demonstrating solar energies involves interacting with the public to transmit the messages that solar
energy works, it is accessible to everyone, and is part of our renewable future. This is done by showing
solar gadgets for producing electricity and, for example, demonstrating a solar cooker for heat
production. The smell (e.g. of fresh pancakes) attracts the people while they are queuing.
By planning a Solar Event @ Open Boat successfully, the following things should be considered:
Human Resources
You will need 3 to 4 trained volunteers per open boat day.
It will be a challenge to find qualified people at every place
that the ship will dock.1 Consider doing a short solar
training beforehand to train your 'solar team'.2
Solar Equipment
Since 2014, there is a standard piece of solar equipment on
the RWIII - the 'solar box'3. If you cannot use this
equipment, try to find the following elements:
- Parabolic mirror cooker4
- Solar oven/box cooker (1 to 2 heat trap boxes5)
- Solar dryer6
Showcase with solar gadgets at Rio+20
- PV-Panel (e.g. with a bar or at least a small pump)
- Some solar gadgets (e.g., solar torch, solar radio, solar cell phone charger) and solar toys (e.g. solarracing cars)
- Generally, everything that moves or makes noise is interesting.
- Laminated picture sheets about solar energy use7
- You can find more ideas and info on the solar exhibition factsheet8.
1
The international VolLab/YSC has a list of people capable and available to advise on how to prepare and execute, and maybe even to
run this part of your Open Boat Day.
2
VolLab/YSC has a list of people who can do such solar trainings.
3
See Solar exhibition materials box for RWIII Guide and manual.
4
More about solar cooking here.
5
http://alsol.es/productos/cocina-alsol-1-2/ or similar
6
More about solar dryers here.
7
See “Solar energy in 10 slides”
8
http://wave.greenpeace.org/waveV2public/sites/default/files/attachments/Example_SolarExhibition-1-5.pdf
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© Greenpeace Youth Support Center, 2014 (wave.greenpeace.org)
There is a complete 'solar box' stored on the RWIII which
is available for solar events.
Solar Event @ Open Boat at Recife, Brazil.
Furthermore, it is good to have plans, photos and/or drawings of all the exhibited items plus a list of
websites with self-construction plans, as there will be some visitors who want to assemble things
themselves, or construction firms that like to start producing these things. Also useful is a list with the
coordinates of local firms and agencies that deal with solar energy (can be a copy of the 'yellow pages').
Kitchen stuff
Besides the solar box or the material described on the first page, you will need a tent (approx. 3 x 3m),
2 tables (1 for cooking and 1 for the gadgets: each 1.5 x 0.7m) and a banner (available on the ship).
In addition - if you are not using the solar box:
- 2 black pots (3 and 5 litres)
- 1 frying pan9; it is nice to have a glass lid for the frying pan, so you can see the popcorn 'pop'. (How
about little paper bags with the GP logo for popcorn? Make it yourself!) Be aware: popcorn does not
work with the foldable parabolic cooker from the solar box, you need a solid aluminium parabolic cooker
for that.
- 1 table cover, apron and gloves (organic cotton, if possible) with the Greenpeace logo
In any case:
- Some spoons, knives, forks, mugs, plastic pots and dishes (never use disposables!)
- A 1-gallon container for water
- 1 bowl to wash dishes, 1 soap to wash hands and dishes, 1 towel to dry
Be careful with the disposal of the waste. Be the example!
Moreover, some recipes10 with the ingredients and required amounts will be helpful (the amounts
depend on various criteria such as solar radiation, amount of cookers, visitors and helpers, as well as the
available time to exhibit. Average event: 2kg flour, 1kg sugar, 1lt cooking oil, 2 lts milk, 20 eggs and a
bit of salt):
- Pancakes: eggs, powdered milk, baking powder, flour, sugar (if possible, organic)
- Popcorn: popcorn, salt and cooking oil
- Toast Hawaii: toasted bread, cheese, spices, a canned cherry
- Brownies if there’s a box cooker (can be a bought pre-mix)
- Bananas to fry
- (Instant) coffee
- Tea
9
http://alsol.es/productos/complementos-alsol/ or similar
http://solarcooking.wikia.com/wiki/Recipes or «Kochen mit der Sonne / Cuiseurs solaires» from Michael «Mitch» Götz and Rolf
Behringer, Ökobuch Verlag in Staufen bei Freiburg (D) – available in German and French.
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© Greenpeace Youth Support Center, 2014 (wave.greenpeace.org)
- Lemon Juice
More materials: sun glasses, sun cream, hats etc. should be provided to the volunteers for sun
protection.
Location
If possible, place your Solar Kitchen next to the ship and the queue. In this location you will enjoy the
attention of thousands of people before their visit of the ship. Locate your exhibition in a place where
people queuing have to pass by. This will provide a great opportunity to promote the public engagement
for the energy revolution.
Another option is to include the solar energy tent as one stop of the open boat visit. This has been done
in Mexico.
Time frame
One hour to set up the Solar Kitchen and one hour to clean and pack up.
Tip!
The first impression is crucial. Hide all unnecessary stuff (bags, clothes etc.) under the table or in the
solar box. Use the colors green (Greenpeace) or blue (Jugendsolar) or yellow/orange, and some symbols
representing the sun. Your creativity is in demand.
What to do on a rainy day?
Be prepared: hand out solar food that was cooked/baked on a sunny day beforehand (sun dried fruits,
cake and cookies, which can be deep frozen for such occasions). Additionally you may use a tent as a
showcase for your solar equipment.
If you have two parabolic cookers, you can also play «long distance phone call»: place the dishes 1020m apart from and facing each other exactly (!). One person puts his head in the position of the
cooking pot and talks in direction of the mirror (i.e. not seeing the other person), the other one puts his
head in the cooking position of the other dish and his/her ear in direction of the mirror. It’s amazing, you
can hear the other person even in a loud environment!
More to read:
- How to use the solar box: Solar exhibition materials box for RWIII Guide and manual
- Solar Energy – Basic Info
- Guidelines Solar Bar
- Guidelines Solar Cinema
Experience reports:
- Brazil: Solar energy trainings and demonstrations at Rio+20, and the open boat events in Recife, Salvador, Rio de
Janeiro and Santos, Brazil (photo story, attached to this document)
- Mexico: Experience with the solar box at open boat RWIII in Mazatlán and Veracruz
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© Greenpeace Youth Support Center, 2014 (wave.greenpeace.org)
Photo story
Solar energy trainings and demonstrations at Rio+20, and the open boat
events in Recife, Salvador, Rio de Janeiro and Santos, Brazil
Summary:
Recife, Salvador de Bahia: Solar demonstration at open boat, training of 40 teachers and GP
volunteers
Sao Paolo: training of GP volunteers and 16 teachers
Rio de Janeiro: Solar demonstration and cooking in the People’s Summit of Rio+20, training of 20
students and GP volunteers
Santos: Open boat
Greenpeace tent in the people’s summit during the Rio+20 conference.
During the «open boat» events of the «Rainbow warrier III» and at the People’s Summit of the Rio+20
conference, the «solar team» of Vânia Stolze, Retze Koen and Michael Götz organised several solar
trainings and exhibitions / demonstrations:


Showing solar cookers and photo-voltaics in action at two «open boat» events and as part of the
large GP tent in the People’s Summit of the Rio+20 conference
Training teachers in the self-construction of small solar cookers and solar flashlights (reaching
thousands of pupils that way!)
 Training the GP volunteers to inform the public about solar energy during the events
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© Greenpeace Youth Support Center, 2014 (wave.greenpeace.org)
Exhibition of solar materials at the open boat in
Salvador de Bahia.
Our parabolic solar cookers have been a big
attraction.
Building cardboard solar cookers with teachers in
Sao Paolo.
Little 'gadget' – big impression: A spinning CD
driven by a small solar panel.
At the People’s Summit: Our diverse public
included kids and...
...even sailors!
Photostory by: Michael Götz, YSC freelance energy trainer and solar expert
Picture credits: Vânia Stolze, Retze Koen, Michael Götz, Rodrigo Paiva
Contacts:
Greenpeace Switzerland Youth Solar, retze.koen@greenpeace.org
Greenpeace Brazil, vaniastolze@gmail.com
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© Greenpeace Youth Support Center, 2014 (wave.greenpeace.org)