{"id":93171,"date":"2026-03-17T11:00:15","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T05:30:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=93171"},"modified":"2026-03-17T11:35:32","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T06:05:32","slug":"electric-cooking-india-key-to-indias-energy-transition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/electric-cooking-india-key-to-indias-energy-transition\/","title":{"rendered":"Electric Cooking India: Why Electric Cooking Is Key to India\u2019s Energy Transition"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b>Electric Cooking Latest News<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India spends <\/span><b>$26.4 billion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> annually on LPG imports, mostly transported through the Strait of Hormuz. Despite having 332 million LPG connections, around 37% of households still rely on firewood and dung.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">electric cooking now cheaper than unsubsidised LPG<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, scaling up electrified kitchens could reduce import dependence, though it raises concerns about grid capacity, costs, and managing rising electricity demand.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Gas-Based Clean Cooking Faces Affordability and Import Challenges<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India rapidly expanded LPG access from 150 million connections in 2015 to 332 million by 2025, but the <\/span><b>model relies heavily on imports<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The country imports about 60% of its LPG and 50% of its natural gas, pushing the combined import bill to $26.4 billion in FY 2024\u201325, according to IEEFA.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This growing dependence makes Indian households vulnerable to price shocks from geopolitical tensions in West Asia, indicating that gas-based clean cooking has reached an affordability and sustainability limit.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Electric Cooking vs Gas: Cost and Efficiency Comparison<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Studies indicate that electric cooking is cheaper than gas-based cooking.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An IEEFA analysis found electric cooking to be <\/span><b>37% cheaper<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> than non-subsidised LPG and <\/span><b>14% cheaper<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> than piped natural gas for a typical urban household.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Electric cooking technologies are significantly <\/span><b>more efficient<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Induction cooktops transfer about 85% of energy to the vessel, compared with around 40% efficiency for LPG burners.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Electric pressure cookers are also among the most energy-efficient devices.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Challenges for Indian Cooking Practices<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indian cooking often requires multiple pots and simultaneous preparation, making single-plate induction stoves insufficient.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Experts suggest developing multi-pot and flame-replicating induction technologies to improve adoption.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Policy experts recommend starting electrification in urban kitchens, which would reduce LPG demand and allow limited gas supplies to support rural households lacking reliable electricity.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Concerns About Grid Capacity<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Large-scale adoption of electric cooking could increase evening electricity demand.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This raises concerns about grid stability and power supply management if millions of households shift to electric appliances simultaneously.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Understanding Peak Electricity Demand<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Electricity demand fluctuates during the day, rising sharply during certain hours when households simultaneously use appliances such as lights, fans, televisions, and air conditioners.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These surges are called <\/span><b>peak demand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> periods.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India\u2019s peak electricity demand has grown significantly, increasing from 148 GW in 2014 to a record 242.5 GW in December 2025.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the IEA, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">every 1\u00b0C rise in temperature can increase peak demand by over 7 GW<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Impact of Mass Electric Cooking on the Grid<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If millions of households adopt induction cooktops simultaneously during evening peaks, electricity demand could rise sharply, increasing spot-market costs and the risk of grid instability.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To avoid grid stress while expanding electric cooking, experts suggest automated demand response systems, which help manage electricity consumption intelligently during peak demand periods.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Rooftop Solar and Local Energy Trading to Reduce Grid Stress<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A rooftop solar system combined with battery storage can turn households into prosumers\u2014both producers and consumers of electricity.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Solar panels generate power during the day, store surplus energy in batteries, and use it later during evening peak demand.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using stored solar energy in the evening can offset the surge in electricity demand that may occur if millions of households adopt electric cooking simultaneously.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Growth of Rooftop Solar in India<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India\u2019s rooftop solar capacity is expected to increase from 24 GW in 2026 to over 41 GW by 2030.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is supported by initiatives like the <\/span><b>PM-Surya Ghar Yojana<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which aims to provide free electricity to millions of households.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Peer-to-Peer Energy Trading<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading allows households to sell surplus solar electricity directly to neighbours through digital platforms, reducing reliance on traditional distribution companies.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India\u2019s first blockchain-based P2P solar trading pilot in Lucknow enabled real-time energy trading through smart contracts and reduced energy purchase costs by about 43%.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When neighbourhoods share solar energy locally, evening electricity peaks decline, distribution companies avoid expensive power purchases, and communities effectively function as micro-level virtual power plants.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Policy Steps for Electrifying India\u2019s Kitchens<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India has already begun promoting electric cooking through initiatives such as:\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the Go Electric campaign,\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the National Efficient Cooking Programme,\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">star labelling for induction cooktops by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), and\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">rooftop solar incentives under PM-Surya Ghar Yojana.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To accelerate adoption, experts suggest measures such as redirecting part of the LPG subsidy toward induction cooktop subsidies, expanding bulk procurement models through EESL, and implementing time-of-use electricity tariffs.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reducing dependence on imported LPG\u2014much of which passes through vulnerable maritime routes such as the Strait of Hormuz\u2014would strengthen India\u2019s energy security and economic resilience.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Urban areas are well positioned to adopt electric cooking due to reliable grid infrastructure, expanding smart-meter networks, and the growing viability of rooftop solar systems, making them an ideal starting point for large-scale electrification of kitchens.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b> <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/opinion\/op-ed\/plugging-in-why-india-must-electrify-its-kitchens-at-scale\/article70748711.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">TH<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Electric Cooking India is emerging as a cheaper, efficient alternative to LPG. Electric Cooking India can reduce imports, improve energy security, and reshape India\u2019s clean energy transition.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":93193,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[6133,60,22,59],"class_list":{"0":"post-93171","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"tag-electric-cooking","9":"tag-mains-articles","10":"tag-upsc-current-affairs","11":"tag-upsc-mains-current-affairs","12":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93171","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=93171"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93171\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":93191,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93171\/revisions\/93191"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/93193"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=93171"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=93171"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=93171"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}