Publication - Knowledge Brief: Electricity as a Clean Cooking Alternative for Institutions in Humanitarian Settings

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Title

Knowledge Brief: Electricity as a Clean Cooking Alternative for Institutions in Humanitarian Settings

Publisher

Global Platform for Action (GPA)

Author

Carine Buma, Iwona Bisaga

Published in

May 2025

Abstract

New Knowledge Brief: Can Electricity Replace Firewood in Humanitarian Institutions?

This new Knowledge Brief explores how electric cooking (e-cooking), powered by solar and efficient appliances like electric pressure cookers, can provide a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable alternative in humanitarian settings.

Based on case studies from Kenya, Uganda, Burkina Faso, and Bangladesh, the brief highlights:

• Up to 80% reduction in firewood use and 83% LPG savings
• Improved air quality and working conditions for cooks (mostly women)
• Shorter cooking times and reduced burdens on parents and students
• Long-term fuel cost savings despite high upfront costs

But challenges remain, from power reliability and system design to financing, infrastructure, and user training. The shift to e-cooking requires context-specific solutions, strong collaboration, and sustained investment.

Read the full brief to explore how e-cooking can unlock healthier, more efficient kitchens for some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.

URL

link to the document

Admin:
No

PIE Grant (Grid Portal)?
No

No

• Cooking

• Humanitarian Energy

• Solar

• Other