Mr. Juan Mandy will present his APS as per the details below:

Date: Thursday, 29th October 2026

Time: 1000 - 1100 hrs.

Venue: CTARA Conference Room No.1

Title: Comparison of institutional cooking energy technology alternatives relevant to schools of rural India

Supervisor: Prof. Anand B Rao

RPC Members: Prof. Bakul Rao and Prof. Anish Modi

Abstract:

Ensuring access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable cooking energy systems remains a challenge for institutional kitchens in rural India. The study identifies increased penetration of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which is the only major clean cooking fuel in schools of Maharashtra. After the recent LPG crisis, dependence on LPG, alongside concerns about imports and international price volatility, highlights the need for alternative clean cooking energy solutions. This research explores the potential of locally available resources and alternative technologies to reduce firewood & LPG dependency and promote sustainable cooking in rural institutional kitchens, particularly schools under the PM POSHAN scheme.

The research builds on a comparative assessment of cooking energy technologies based on their technical, economic, environmental, and social characteristics. Exploratory field visits and stakeholder interactions provided insights into operational challenges, energy requirements, and barriers to adopting alternative cooking energy systems. These findings highlighted the importance of local resource availability, cooking requirements, and contextual factors in technology selection.

The study will examine locally available energy resources suitable for cooking in rural institutional kitchens. A Geographic Information System (GIS) based approach and local level information regarding resources will help assess the energy potential available in that region. Technologies such as solar thermal cooking, biogas, and electricity-based cooking will be compared in terms of environmental impacts, costs, and potential to reduce LPG dependency. This assessment will help identify suitable options for rural school kitchens and can help achieve outcomes that are relevant to the objectives of the India Energy Security Scenarios (IESS) 2047, developed by NITI Aayog, which examines alternative energy pathways towards 2047 with a vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Further, the research aims to integrate local resource estimation, environmental assessment, and technoeconomic analysis into a scenario analysis tool that can support in selecting suitable cooking energy technologies in a given context. The findings are expected to support evidence-based planning, cooking energy diversification, and policies that improve energy security, reduce environmental impacts, and ensure reliable meal provision under the PM POSHAN programme.