Exploring aluminum as a solid thermal storage medium for solar cooking application: An experimental investigation coupled with numerical modeling using OpenFOAM.

The intermittent nature of solar energy presents a significant challenge to its reliability, particularly in applications that require a consistent energy supply, such as cooking. This issue is especially critical in emerging economies with abundant solar resources, where sustainable energy solutions are needed to reduce reliance on traditional fuels. To address this challenge, this study introduces a novel solar thermal storage (STS), utilizing a metal-based material to accumulate and retain heat for off-sunshine hour cooking.