Accelerating Access to Clean Electric Cooking
The Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) programme is an ambitious eight-year research initiative funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID). The programme’s goal is to accelerate the transition from traditional biomass cooking methods to genuinely clean cooking solutions, with a strong focus on energy-efficient electric cooking appliances. MECS collaborates with a diverse group of stakeholders, including NGOs, governments, the private sector, academia, research institutes, policy representatives, and communities in 16 countries.
A New Approach to Clean Cooking
MECS is working to redefine clean cooking by exploring the social and economic realities involved in transitioning from polluting fuels to a range of modern, clean energy sources. While the research covers multiple clean fuel options, the findings emphasize the practicality, cost-effectiveness, and user satisfaction associated with electric cooking appliances. Despite notable progress in expanding access to electricity over the past decade, the challenge of clean cooking has often remained unaddressed. MECS aims to change this by integrating modern energy cooking services into plans for improving electricity access, quality, reliability, and sustainability. This approach leverages investments in both on-grid and off-grid renewable energy to help overcome the clean cooking challenge.
MECS Resources and Tools
MECS has developed a comprehensive range of outputs, tools, and methodologies to provide a robust evidence base for clean cooking solutions, with a particular focus on electric cooking (e-cooking). These resources are freely available for download and are intended to support researchers, policymakers, and practitioners. Key resources include:
- Cooking Diaries: This research methodology combines qualitative data on cooking habits with quantitative measurements of energy consumption. It helps to understand what people cook, how and when they cook, and how these practices align with modern energy cooking products and services.
- E-Cookbooks: Launched in 2019, MECS’s e-cookbooks are designed to demonstrate the energy, time, and cost savings of using energy-efficient electric appliances for cooking traditional dishes. They present complex research findings in a user-friendly way, enabling households, utility companies, and policymakers to make informed decisions about cooking fuels and appliances. India eCookbook
- Clean Cooking Finance Series: MECS, in partnership with Energy 4 Impact, has developed this series to provide a detailed analysis of financing mechanisms in the clean cooking sector. The five reports in the series offer recommendations for donors on the critical financial interventions needed to support the transition to modern energy cooking.
- Global Electric Cooking Market Assessment (GMA): This assessment identifies key opportunities and challenges for scaling up electric cooking in the Global South, offering insights into where efforts should be concentrated to expand access to clean electric cooking.
Recognitions and Awards
Dr. Iwona Bisaga, a Research Associate on the MECS programme at Loughborough University, was recognized with the Scopus Early Career Researcher UK Award 2020 in the Environmental Science category. Her work focuses on humanitarian energy access, addressing the challenge of providing clean, modern energy solutions to millions of displaced people worldwide. Before joining Loughborough University, she conducted research at University College London.
Scopus Early Career Researcher UK Award 2020 - Dr Iwona Bisaga
MECS Policy Briefs
MECS has also developed a series of policy briefs aimed at helping policymakers expand access to clean cooking and electricity. These briefs provide country-specific overviews of the current status of electricity and clean cooking access, the potential benefits of electric cooking, and a summary of the social, economic, and environmental impacts. They serve as valuable tools for policymakers looking to make evidence-based decisions to support the transition to clean energy solutions.
Learn More About MECS
MECS offers a wide range of resources, including research outputs and tools, through its Resource Library. These materials are designed to support stakeholders in their efforts to expand access to clean cooking, particularly through the use of electric cooking technologies. All resources are freely accessible and available for download, promoting collaboration and knowledge-sharing among those dedicated to advancing the clean cooking agenda.
MECS is leading the way in addressing the critical challenge of clean cooking by focusing on sustainable, energy-efficient solutions that can improve lives across diverse communities. By integrating modern energy services into electricity access plans, MECS aims to create a future where clean cooking is accessible to all.