Charcoal price parity. Read more…

This report presents a gendered analysis of how the eCook concept might fit into the Tanzanian context, with the aim of informing the development of a battery-supported electric cooking concept, eCook.

This report summarises the findings from four Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) held in Zambia, with the aim of informing the development of a battery-supported electric cooking concept, eCook.

I remain fascinated by the electric vehicle discussions and of course, the battery developments are very relevant to eCook.  I saw this interesting discussion about a Tesla. Read more…

So, Loughborough University are leading a major programme of work on modern energy cooking services.  This builds on our work and blogging here.

The Minister opened the programme last week….. Read more…

The Myanmar Multi-stakeholder Workshop Report can be found here.

Kittner et al. (2017) suggests that the main eCook component cost, battery storage, is following Leach and Oduros’ optimistic scenario, with faster than expected learning curves suggesting that 200USD/kWh could be a reality by 2019.  Similarly, initial prototyping has shown that efficiency gains in the cooking processes can even exceed Leach and Oduro’s optimistic scenario for energy demand.  We created a set of choropleths for Africa, in the hope they become a decision tool for policy actors.  The figure illustrates the LCoE[i] thresholds eCook will have to cross to be at price parity with the alternative fuels.

[i] Levelised Cost of Energy

There have been a few half hearted tests on the idea of swappable batteries for electric vehicles.  The idea that you pull into a fuel station and in 90 seconds swap in a fully charged battery has enormous potential on paper.  Imagine – while the UK is running out high speed charging points and strengthening infrastructure, how will most developing economies which are currently struggling with domestic electricity access ever accommodate EVs?  One answer is swappable batteries – and that has relevance to eCook.

Read more…

Focussing in on the opportunity for PV-eCook in Sub-Saharan Africa, three price parity analyses were carried out to illustrate which countries offer the greatest economic opportunities for PV-eCook in 2020 in existing charcoal, kerosene or LPG markets. Read more…

• Much of the savings at a household level come from pre-prepared food, and the overall energy to prepare the food has likely remained the same.

(A random photo – but our thanks to http://ballymaguirefoods.ie )

However thirdly, in the UK  “the huge expansion in ‘ready meals’ and takeaways is probably a bigger factor in the decline in cooking energy, and it is questionable whether these lifestyle changes have saved energy overall.” Read more…