New cooking system runs of solar, can substitute LPG

“This is a revolutionary step, a complete paradigm shift. If the idea is taken forward well and if there is commercial exploitation, the private sector will join in. There are so many households, the cost will come down,” Puri said. (Twitter/@HardeepSPuri)

“Testing is being done in 60 places. After that, in the next two to three months… large scale commercial exploitation. Not just in India, if this turns into a successful product for home kitchens and industrial kitchens, the utilisation of this can be done outside the country,” Puri said.

Indian Oil has patented the solar cooking system. SSV Ramakumar, Director, Research and Development, Indian Oil, said that the cooktop can remain indoors, in the kitchen. It has a thermal battery that stores the heat. “Insulating material has been selected carefully to minimise heat loss,” he said. When the sun is not out, the system can be operated on electric heating. Ramakumar added that the cooktop is connected to a 750-watt solar panel and has an efficiency of around 80%.

“A family uses eight cylinders per annum. Saving 1 kg of LPG can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 3 kg. We are going to scale up in the next three months. If there are subsidies, it can be manufactured at around Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000,” Ramakumar said.

Officials at the demonstration said that the cooking system was being tested in 60 households and other institutions in Leh, Lakshadweep, Delhi-NCR and Udaipur with the intention of getting user feedback before the utilisation of the system is scaled up.