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01
Roadmap for Access
to Clean Cooking
Energy in India
Sasmita Patnaik, Saurabh
Tripathi, and Abhishek Jain
Report | October 2019 02Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
iStock
A traditional cookstove being used even
as LPG cylinders in the distance remain
unused. Roadmap for Access
to Clean Cooking
Energy in India
Sasmita Patnaik, Saurabh Tripathi, and Abhishek Jain
Report
October 2019
ceew.in ii
Copyright © 2019 Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW)
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system
or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise, without prior permission.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the
views and policies of CEEW or Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) or
NITI Aayog.
Suggested citation: Patnaik, Sasmita, Saurabh Tripathi, and Abhishek Jain. 2019. Roadmap for Access to Clean
Cooking Energy in India, New Delhi: Council on Energy, Environment and Water.
Cover image: iStock-fotostorm
Peer reviewers: Kirk Smith, Professor of Global Environmental Health, University of California, Berkeley; Manjula
Menon, Senior Scientist, M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF); Nidhi Sarin, Technical
Expert, Indo-German Energy Programme, GIZ; Priyadarshini Karve, Director, Samuchit Enviro Tech;
Svati Bhogle, Chairperson, Clean Energy Access Network; and Kanika Chawla, Senior Programme
Lead, CEEW.
Publication team: Alina Sen (CEEW), Mihir Shah (CEEW), The Clean Copy, Aspire Design, and Friends Digital.
Organisations: Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW)
The Council on Energy, Environment and Water (http://ceew.in) is one of South Asia’s leading
not-for-profit policy research institutions. The Council uses data, integrated analysis, and
strategic outreach to explain—and change—the use, reuse, and misuse of resources. It prides
itself on the independence of its high-quality research, develops partnerships with public and
private institutions, and engages with the wider public. In 2019, CEEW was once again featured
across nine categories in the “2018 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report”. CEEW has also been
consistently ranked among the world’s top climate change think tanks. Follow us on Twitter
@CEEWIndia for the latest updates.
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
For over 60 years, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
has been working jointly with partners in India for sustainable economic, ecological, and social
development. Currently, GIZ has over 330 employees in India, of whom 85 per cent are national
personnel. The thematic areas of GIZ in India are: energy, environment and management of
natural resources, sustainable urban development and sustainable economic development. For
further information, please write to: info@giz.de, or visit our website: www.giz.de
NITI Aayog
The National Institution for Transforming India, also called NITI Aayog, was formed via a resolution
of the Union Cabinet on January 1, 2015. NITI Aayog is the premier policy ‘Think Tank’ of the
Government of India, providing both directional and policy inputs. While designing strategic
and long term policies and programmes for the Government of India, NITI Aayog also provides
relevant technical advice to the Centre and States. The Government of India, in keeping with its
reform agenda, constituted the NITI Aayog to replace the Planning Commission instituted in
1950. This was done in order to better serve the needs and aspirations of the people of India. An
important evolutionary change from the past, NITI Aayog acts as the quintessential platform of
the Government of India to bring States to act together in national interest, and thereby fosters
Cooperative Federalism. At the core of NITI Aayog’s creation are two hubs – Team India Hub
and the Knowledge and Innovation Hub. The Team India Hub leads the engagement of states
with the Central government, while the Knowledge and Innovation Hub builds NITI’s think-tank
capabilities. These hubs reflect the two key tasks of the Aayog. NITI Aayog is also developing itself
as a State of the Art Resource Centre, with the necessary resources, knowledge and skills, that will
enable it to act with speed, promote research and innovation, provide strategic policy vision for
the government, and deal with contingent issues.
Council on Energy, Environment and Water
Sanskrit Bhawan, A-10, Qutab Institutional Area
Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi – 110067, India iii
About CEEW
The Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) is one of South Asia’s leading not-for-profit policy
research institutions. The Council uses data, integrated analysis, and strategic outreach to explain – and
change – the use, reuse, and misuse of resources. The Council addresses pressing global challenges through
an integrated and internationally focused approach. It prides itself on the independence of its high-quality
research, develops partnerships with public and private institutions, and engages with the wider public.
In 2019, CEEW once again featured extensively across nine categories in the 2018 Global Go To Think Tank
Index Report, including being ranked as South Asia’s top think tank (15th globally) with an annual operating
budget of less than USD 5 million for the sixth year in a row. CEEW has also been ranked as South Asia’s top
energy and resource policy think tank in these rankings. In 2016, CEEW was ranked 2nd in India, 4th outside
Europe and North America, and 20th globally out of 240 think tanks as per the ICCG Climate Think Tank’s
standardised rankings.
In nine years of operations, The Council has engaged in over 230 research projects, published over 160
peer-reviewed books, policy reports and papers, advised governments around the world nearly 530 times,
engaged with industry to encourage investments in clean technologies and improve efficiency in resource
use, promoted bilateral and multilateral initiatives between governments on 80 occasions, helped state
governments with water and irrigation reforms, and organised nearly 300 seminars and conferences.
The Council’s major projects on energy policy include India’s largest multidimensional energy access
survey (ACCESS); the first independent assessment of India’s solar mission; the Clean Energy Access
Network (CLEAN) of hundreds of decentralised clean energy firms; the CEEW Centre for Energy Finance;
India’s green industrial policy; the USD 125 million India-U.S. Joint Clean Energy R&D Centers; developing
the strategy for and supporting activities related to the International Solar Alliance; designing the Common
Risk Mitigation Mechanism (CRMM); modelling long-term energy scenarios; energy subsidies reform; energy
storage technologies; India’s 2030 Renewable Energy Roadmap; energy efficiency measures for MSMEs;
clean energy subsidies (for the Rio+20 Summit); Energy Horizons; clean energy innovations for rural
economies; community energy; scaling up rooftop solar; and renewable energy jobs, finance and skills.
The Council’s major projects on climate, environment and resource security include advising and
contributing to climate negotiations in Paris (COP-21), especially on the formulating guidelines of the Paris
Agreement rule-book; pathways for achieving Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and mid-century
strategies for decarbonisation; assessing global climate risks; heat-health action plans for Indian cities;
assessing India’s adaptation gap; low-carbon rural development; environmental clearances; modelling HFC
emissions; the business case for phasing down HFCs; assessing India’s critical minerals; geoengineering
governance; climate finance; nuclear power and low-carbon pathways; electric rail transport; monitoring
air quality; the business case for energy efficiency and emissions reductions; India’s first report on global
governance, submitted to the National Security Adviser; foreign policy implications for resource security;
India’s power sector reforms; zero budget natural farming; resource nexus, and strategic industries and
technologies; and the Maharashtra-Guangdong partnership on sustainability.
The Council’s major projects on water governance and security include the 584-page National
Water Resources Framework Study for India’s 12th Five Year Plan; irrigation reform for Bihar; Swachh
Bharat; supporting India’s National Water Mission; collective action for water security; mapping India’s
traditional water bodies; modelling water-energy nexus; circular economy of water; participatory irrigation
management in South Asia; domestic water conflicts; modelling decision making at the basin-level;
rainwater harvesting; and multi-stakeholder initiatives for urban water management. v
Message from
NITI Aayog
Energy is a key input towards raising the standard of
living of citizens of any country, as is evident from the
correlation between per capita electricity consumption
and Human Development Index. Access to clean cooking
energy, in particular, has a strong impact on alleviating
the public health burden posed by household air
pollution. It also helps reduce time poverty for women,
allowing for time to be invested in education, leisure, and
other productive activities. A major initiative taken by the
government to improve access to clean cooking energy
in recent times is the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. As
of August 2019, it has provided credit-linked subsidised LPG connections to over 77 million
households and continues to expand the coverage of LPG in India. However, the forthcoming
goal would entail plugging of both supply-side as well the demand-side gaps to improve the
availability, affordability and sustained use of the fuel. While the stacking of clean fuel with
traditional biomass continues to exist across many rural households in India, to address
the ill-effects of household air pollution, the entire stack of cooking solutions will have to
be clean. Our end aim should be to eliminate the use of traditional biomass combustion
for cooking and replacing it with solutions like LPG, PNG, electricity, biogas, improved
cookstoves and solar-powered cooking. This requires a multi-fuel and multi-stakeholder
approach contextualised for region, appropriateness of the technology, households’ income
and other factors. The effort of energy ministries needs to be augmented with interventions
from other relevant ministries such as Rural Development, Health and Family Welfare, and
Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare, to address the challenges in access and affordability of
clean cooking energy solutions.
To guide further deliberation towards a national mission on clean cooking energy,
NITI Aayog is laying out a ‘Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India’, in
collaboration with the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) and Deutsche
Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. As is evident from the
strategies put forward in this document, India is uniquely placed to integrate efforts across
various ministries and execute a national mission on clean cooking energy to eliminate the
traditional use of biomass for cooking, ensuring a sustained use of clean cooking solutions.
The ideas put forward in this document should provide basis for engaging discussions and
dialogues, and for helping India collectively ensure sustainable clean cooking energy access
for all.
Amitabh Kant
Chief Executive Officer
NITI Aayog vi
Message from
GIZ
Traditional cooking practices, which are largely based on
burning biomass to prepare food, and their impact on the
environment, climate, and human health have been in
the limelight of national and international development
organisations for a long time. While the initial focus was more
on climate and environment the spotlight has shifted over
the past 20 years, more and more to indoor pollution related
health concerns. Initially, the public and scientific discourse
centered on stove technology using especially woody biomass
fuels, and the idea was that improved cookstoves, clean
cookstoves or energy efficient cookstoves burn biomass more
efficiently thereby emitting less smoke harmful to the climate. The sector received a powerful
push by the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol at the beginning of
the millennium as many CDM projects homed in on the sector. In contrast, today, the debate
is more about clean cooking which connotes a more process-centered approach where the
cooking process as such should be clean and less harmful to the members of a household. Thus,
Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) and induction stoves where the electricity is largely coming from
coal power stations are promoted as they do not or hardly cause any indoor pollution.
The development in India was similar. In 1984, a National Programme on Improved Chulhas
(NPIC) was launched by the Indian Government for the development and promotion of efficient
biomass stove models. In 2009, the Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)
started a National Biomass Cookstoves Initiative (NBCI) which was to foster the use of improved
biomass cookstoves. In 2016, the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) scheme was launched
in India to promote the use of LPG as cooking fuel in order to reduce exposure to unhealthy
smoke levels especially for women and children. Up to date, several cores of LPG connections
have been distributed through the scheme.
However, experiences show that Indian households, depending on circumstances and need,
use more than one technology or one source of energy for cooking. Even with an already high
LPG penetration, biomass-based cooking or kerosene cookers are still being used concurrently.
Electricity grid expansion and an increase in power generation capacity will definitely lead to
more electrical stoves being used. Furthermore, MNRE is promoting family biogas digesters
through its National Biogas and Manure Management Programme (NBMMP).
To better coordinate and bind together the different strands of development and to achieve
universal access to clean cooking energy by 2030, MNRE approached GIZ to support the
development of a roadmap for clean cooking. I am glad that we could win over CEEW as
a knowledgeable, experienced, and resourceful partner in that endeavor. I hope that the
principles and strategies outlined in this roadmap will accelerate and support India’s efforts in
achieving its sustainable development goals.
Dr Harald Richter
Programme Head, Indo-German Energy Programme
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH vii
Message from
CEEW
Lack of access to clean cooking energy remains a core
development challenge in India as it imposes a public
health hazard and accentuates time poverty, particularly
for women in the household. The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala
Yojana has been successful in not only ensuring that the
poorest families in the country have an LPG connection,
but also in furthering a long-stagnant conversation on
access to clean cooking fuels in India.
What is clearer than ever before, though, is that
household air pollution cannot be defeated without
targeting the continuing use of traditional biomass cookstoves and promoting the
sustained use of clean cooking energy alternatives. In order to ease the energy transition
for households towards a cleaner stack of fuels, it will be important to offer a suite of clean
cooking fuels and technologies from which households could choose, based on socio-
cultural, logistical, and economic considerations.
This Roadmap proposes short- and long-term strategies of varying degrees of priority
for a range of clean cooking energy alternatives – LPG, improved cookstoves, biogas,
PNG, and solar- and electricity-based cooking technologies. In order to do this, our team
profiled the challenges faced along the value chain of each cooking fuel and technology
by consulting—through semi-structured interviews and group consultations—clean energy
practitioners, officials from various ministries, financiers, and civil society organisations.
It has been a valuable exercise for the team to document the most critical bottlenecks that
impede growth in the clean cooking energy space in India, and I hope that this Roadmap
would lend perspective to the National Clean Cooking Mission, as proposed by NITI Aayog.
I would like to thank the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) for
having conceptualised and designed the project with our team, and NITI Aayog for taking
leadership on the initiative and in convening several ministries in building support for this
Roadmap.
Dr Arunabha Ghosh
Chief Executive Officer
Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) ix
Acknowledgments
The authors of the report would like to thank GIZ for their financial support and technical
inputs. We would also like to thank Shri R.P. Gupta (Additional Secretary, Energy) and Shri
Rajnath Ram (Joint Advisor) at NITI Aayog for their support throughout the project’s duration
and their inputs on the document. Our thanks also to the peer reviewers of this document for
their comments and suggestions on improving the language and structure of the report, and
we are grateful for the inputs on specific chapters of the Roadmap from G. L. Meena (Ministry
of New and Renewable Energy) and Parveen Dhamija (Skill Council for Green Jobs).
The Roadmap was officially guided by a Core Advisory Group with the following members:
D. K. Khare, formerly of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy; Harald Richter, GIZ;
Kirk Smith, University of California, Berkeley; Nidhi Sarin, GIZ; Parveen Dhamija, Skill
Council for Green Jobs; Santosh Singh, The World Bank; Smita Rakesh, TATA Trusts; and
Svati Bhogle, Clean Energy Access Network. We thank all of them for lending their effort
and expertise to help ensure that the document and the overall research methodology are as
inclusive and well-informed as possible on current realities.
The recommendations in the Roadmap were informed by semi-structured interviews with
a diverse group of stakeholders which included clean cooking energy enterprises, donors
and non-governmental organisations, government ministries, and financial institutions. We
would like to thank them for their valuable insights and inputs. The full list of individuals
who were interviewed can be found in Table A1 in the Annexure.
We thank those who participated in our clean cooking energy consultations. They gave
invaluable inputs towards strengthening the recommendations proposed under the
Roadmap and its analytical framework. The full list of individuals who participated can be
found in Table A2 in the Annexure.
We would also like to thank Sara Dethier and Shruti Nagbhushan, our former colleagues at
The Council, for their help in the research and analysis phase of this report’s preparation
and in writing policy notes for the various ministries with whom we engaged during the
project. x
Sasmita Patnaik
sasmita.patnaik@ceew.in
Sasmita Patnaik is a Programme Lead in the
Energy Access team at The Council. She has
over six years of research and consulting
experience in rural development, sustainability,
and social entrepreneurship. Her work
in sustainability involved the assessment
of sustainability policies and practices of
industries around biodiversity and land use,
health and safety, and carbon emissions. At
The Council, she works on access to energy for
healthcare, cooking and income generation.
In her research, she is keen to understand the
nuances of socio-economic contexts that define
access to, and use of, energy. Sasmita holds an
MSc in Development Studies from School of
Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and a Post-
Graduate Diploma in Rural Management from
Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar
(XIMB).
“In our interviews with the practitioners across
clean cooking energy solutions, we observed
incompatibility between the challenges they
deemed most prominent and what the existing
policies were looking to address. Some of these
challenges were beyond the purview of energy,
necessitating a more comprehensive approach
to improve access to clean cooking energy for all
households. We hope this Roadmap highlights
the need for greater congruity between the
challenges faced by the practitioners and
households, and the policy interventions to
address them.”
Saurabh Tripathi
saurabh.tripathi@ceew.in
Saurabh Tripathi is a Programme Associate
at the Council on Energy, Environment and
Water. At The Council, he works on access
to electricity and clean cooking energy for
households. Previously, Saurabh worked with
GIST Advisory, a sustainability consulting firm,
where he helped assess the monetary value
of corporate externalities and their impact on
people, society, and the environment. Saurabh
holds an MSc in Economic Development and
Policy Analysis, and a BA (Hons) in Economics,
both from the University of Nottingham. While
at university, he also completed internships
with the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh and the
United Nations Officer for REDD+ Coordination
in Indonesia.
“Our engagements with government officials
uncovered the apparent lack of inter-ministerial
coordination on clean cooking energy, in spite of
the Government’s considerable efforts through
the Ujjwala Yojana. To completely transition
households away from polluting fuels, multiple
ministries will need to come together to tackle
the various administrative, socio-cultural and
economic aspects of cooking energy access. Our
hope is that this document can lay the roadmap
for what strategies such a mammoth exercise
should prioritise and pursue.”
The authors xi
Abhishek Jain
abhishek.jain@ceew.in
Abhishek Jain is a Senior Programme Lead
at The Council and heads its Energy Access
programme. Along with his team, he focuses
on provision and use of modern forms of
energy for all, especially the deprived. With
about eight years of experience, Abhishek has
worked on multiple issues at the confluence
of energy, economics, and environment. His
research (and action) spans energy access for
households, communities, and livelihoods.
He co-conceptualised and leads CEEW’s
flagship research efforts on ACCESS – Access
to Clean Cooking energy and Electricity
– Survey of States, the largest survey of
its kind on energy access. Over the years,
Abhishek has focused on various issues
including renewable energy, decentralised
energy access, clean cooking energy, LPG
for cooking, fossil fuel subsidies, electricity
sector reforms, solar-powered irrigation, and
circular economy. He holds an M.Phil. from
University of Cambridge and an engineering
degree from IIT Roorkee.
“It is encouraging to see that in recent years
the Indian government has focused on clean
cooking energy access among its development
priorities. I hope this Roadmap will not only
nudge but also guide decision-makers towards
more comprehensive action in achieving clean
cooking energy access for all.” Image: iStock xiii
Contents
Executive Summary xx
1. Introduction 2
1.1. Framing the issue 2
1.2. What is the Clean Cooking Energy Roadmap? 4
2. Methodology 8
3. The Guiding Principles of the Clean Cooking Energy Roadmap 12
3.1. Consider alternative uses of solid biomass to eliminate its negative
effects on health 12
3.2. Measure the sustained use of the fuel or technology 12
3.3. Multidimensional and multi-fuel approach to providing affordable access to clean
cooking energy 13
3.4. Multi-stakeholder approach to improve adoption 13
3.5. An ecosystem-based approach 14
3.6. Inclusive and gender sensitive 14
3.7. Access to clean cooking energy as a developmental goal 15
4. Sectoral Strategies to Improve Access to All Clean Cooking Energy Solutions 18
4.1. Improve awareness of the health impacts of traditional biomass chulhas 18
4.2. Understanding the market and consumers 19
4.3. Understanding the social and cultural factors influencing access to energy 21
4.4. Focus on aspects of kitchen design and ventilation 21
4.5. Improving data availability for energy access 21
4.6. Streamlining of subsidies on cooking energy with better targeting of consumers 22
4.7. Leverage alternate financing solutions 22
5. Fuel-specific Strategies for Improving Access to Clean Cooking Energy 26
5.1. Convergence and stacking of fuels 26
5.2. LPG 31
5.3. Improved biomass cookstoves 37
5.4. Biogas 42
5.5. Piped Natural Gas 48
5.6. Solar-based cooking 50
5.7. Electricity-based cooking 51
6. Best Practices for Improving Access to Clean Cooking Energy Solutions 56
7. Monitoring and Evaluation Framework 62
8. Conclusion 65
9. References 67
10. Annexures 71 xivRoadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
Figures
Figure 1 Use of LPG as the primary cooking fuel was four times higher in urban
areas than in rural areas in 2012
2
Figure 2 Methodology of the roadmap9
Figure 3 Key stakeholders in clean cooking energy in India14
Figure 4 IESS 2047 projections of the use of LPG and electricity in rural India; PNG
and LPG in urban India
27
Figure 5 Composite LPG cylinders33
Figure 6 Biomass pellets for cooking40
Figure 7 Biomass pellet-manufacturing machine41
Figure 8 Single-burner biogas stove43
Figure 9 Pre-fabricated biogas plant43
Figure 10 Community biogas plant44
Figure 11 Imports of LNG in India increased by 241% between 2007–08 and
2017–18
49
Figure 12 The arc of programme design, monitoring, and evaluation62


Tables
Table 1 Consumer segments for adoption of clean fuels and stoves19
Table 2
List of identified strategies to improve access to clean cooking energy
in India, by source of cooking energy, including degree of urgency and
priority
28
Table 3
Indicative list of metrics for M&E of the national mission on clean
cooking energy
64 xv
Abbreviations
AIM Atal Innovation Mission
ASHA Accredited Social Health Activist
BDTC Biogas Development and Training Centre
BEE Bureau of Energy Efficiency
BGFP biogas fertiliser plant
BIS Bureau of Indian Standards
BPL below poverty line
CFA central financial assistance
CGD city gas distribution
CHEST Clean Household Energy Solutions Toolkit
CLEAN Clean Energy Access Network
CSIR Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
CSO civil society organisation
DBT direct benefit transfer
DBTL direct benefit cash transfer for LPG
DDUGJY Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana
DDU-GKY Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana 
DST Department of Science and Technology
EDF Environmental Defense Fund
EMI equated monthly instalment
FISE Fondo de Inclusión Social Energético
GERES Group Energies Renouvelables, Environnement et Solidarité
GLBOMS Green Loans for Biogas and Organic Manure Service
GLPGP Global LPG Partnership
GTF Global Tracking Framework
HAP household air pollution
ICDS Integrated Child Development Services
ICMR Indian Council of Medical Research
ICOPRODAC Association of Producers and Distributors of Improved Cookstoves in Cambodia
ICS improved cookstoves
IEA International Energy Agency
IESS India Energy Security Scenarios
IIT Indian Institute of Technology
IOCL Indian Oil Corporation
IREDA Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency
IWA International Workshops Agreement
KCC Kisan Credit Card
KSK Kisan Seva Kendra xviRoadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
LNG liquefied natural gas
LPG liquefied petroleum gas
M&E monitoring and evaluation
MGNREGA Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act
MMSCMD million standard cubic feet per day
MNRE Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
MoAFW Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare
MoF Ministry of Finance
MoHFW Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
MoP Ministry of Power
MoPNG Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
MoPR Ministry of Panchayati Raj
MoRD Ministry of Rural Development
MoSPI Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
MPCE monthly per capita expenditure
NABARD National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
NBMMP National Biogas and Manure Management Programme
NCIS National Programme on Improved Chulhas
NISE National Institute of Solar Energy
NKS Neang Kongrey Stove
NLS New Lao Stove
NNBOMP New National Biogas and Organic Manure Programme
NRLM National Rural Livelihood Mission
NSDC National Skill Development Corporation
NSS National Sample Survey
NSSO National Sample Survey Office
O&M operations and maintenance
OMC oil marketing company
ONGC Oil and Natural Corporation Limited
PMAY-G Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin
PMMY Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana
PMUY Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana
PNG piped natural gas
PNGRB Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board
PPAC Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell
PSU public sector undertaking
RGGLVY Rajiv Gandhi Gramin LPG Vitaran Yojana
SAGY Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana
Saubhagya Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana
SC Scheduled Caste
SCGJ Skill Council of Green Jobs xvii
scm standard cubic metres
SEC socio-economic classification
SECC Socio Economic and Caste Census
SETU Self-Employment and Talent Utilisation
SHG self-help group
SNA state nodal agency
SRLM State Rural Livelihoods Mission
ST Scheduled Tribe
UCA Unnat Chulha Abhiyan
UPNRM Umbrella Programme on Natural Resource Management
VLE village-level entrepreneur
WDAN Women’s Development Association Network
WHO World Health Organisation
WSCG women’s savings and credit group
WTP willingness to pay xviiiRoadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
Image: iStock-pixelfusion xix
Many women continue to use
traditional cookstoves to make certain
food items, rotis in particular. xxRoadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
U
rban India has witnessed greater access to clean cooking energy than its rural
counterpart, with a significantly higher proportion of urban households primarily
using liquified petroleum gas (LPG). The Government of India has made efforts to enhance
access to clean cooking energy by promoting biogas, improved cookstoves (ICS), and LPG
through various policies and programmes. It has also envisioned new solutions—including
electricity and piped natural gas (PNG)—for meeting the demand for cooking energy in
urban India. In recent years, the most prominent effort of the government in terms of
improving access to clean cooking energy is the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)
which has provided subsidised LPG connections to over 77 million households (as of August
2019) and consequentially improved the penetration of LPG connections; about 94 per cent
of Indian households have an LPG connection as of April 2019. However, a recent study by
Jain et. al (2018) in six of the most energy access-deprived states—Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya
Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal—suggests that only about one-third of
rural population in these states use LPG as their primary cooking fuel.
As per Census 2011, about 70 per cent of India’s population lives in rural areas. In order to
improve access to clean cooking energy for all Indian households, a focused planning is
required, targeted at raising awareness and improving the availability and affordability of
clean cooking energy in rural areas. The draft National Energy Policy by NITI Aayog proposes
a robust strategy for the provision of clean cooking fuel for all in the quickest timeframe, in
a mission mode. It emphasises the need to complement the efforts of scaling LPG through
PMUY with strategies to deploy agri- and forest-based biomass in a clean and efficient
manner.
Clean cooking energy solutions must be appraised from a multidimensional lens that
considers the complexity of various effects of cooking energy on people. In such a context,
a coherent Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy is necessary and timely. A multi-
fuel, multi-stakeholder approach must be used to design the overall strategy for improving
access to clean cooking energy. Such a strategy would need to bring in multiple stakeholders
such as government ministries, clean cooking energy enterprises, consumers, donors and
financiers, and sector enablers such as non-governmental organisations.
This report is the outcome of a year-long collaboration between CEEW, GIZ and NITI Aayog,
which had the aim of building a strong understanding of the multitude of challenges
and opportunities across all major clean cooking energy fuels and technologies in the
country. Patnaik et al. (2017) document the challenges in the value chain of each major
fuel and technology. To inform the Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy, we held
Only a third of the
rural population
in six of the most
energy access-
deprived states
use LPG as their
primary cooking
fuel
Executive summary xxi
consultations with the representatives of key ministries facilitated by NITI Aayog and
interviews with key stakeholders in the cooking energy sector. The Roadmap is committed
to eliminating the use of cooking arrangements that lead to household air pollution (HAP).
This commitment builds on the recognition that accessible, affordable, and convenient
alternatives must be made available to all households to meet their entire cooking and
heating needs, and to transition away from all arrangements that cause HAP, including the
chulha (traditional wood/dung stove).
The guiding principles of a national roadmap to improve adoption and use
of clean cooking energy for all households:
• Consider alternate uses of solid biomass to eliminate negative effects on health
• Measure sustained use of the fuel/technology
• Consider a multi-stakeholder approach to improve adoption
• Develop an ecosystem-based approach
• Ensure that it is inclusive and gender sensitive
• Establish access to clean cooking energy as a developmental goal
Strategies to improve access, adoption,
and use of clean cooking energy
The Roadmap synthesises the discussions that took place among about 30 key stakeholders
in the clean cooking energy ecosystem in India. It also includes an extensive literature
review of existing challenges in policy and implementation across all fuels and technologies.
The document draws from primary research undertaken by the government and non-
governmental institutions on the use of different fuels and technologies, expenditure on
cooking energy, and barriers to the adoption and sustained use of each fuel or technology.
The aim of the document is to lay out strategies for each fuel that can support its value
chain and improve the availability and affordability of the fuel and its technologies as well
as consumers’ awareness of these alternatives. Each strategy was ranked according to key
parameters: i) the effort required to implement the strategy; ii) the time taken to implement
the strategy; iii) the likelihood of impact; and iv) the scale of impact.
Fuel-agnostic strategies to improve access, adoption, and use
These strategies are independent of the clean cooking fuel or technology used by a
household, and will apply to all clean cooking energy solutions. Stakeholders across all fuels
and technologies will need to understand and work on these strategies before navigating
other challenges in the ecosystem.
Proposed strategy
1. Improve awareness of the health impacts
of traditional biomass chulhas
5. Improve data availability for energy access
2. Understand the market and consumers 6. Streamlining of subsidies on cooking energy
with better targeting of consumers
3. Understanding the social and cultural
factors influencing access to energy
7. Leverage alternate financing solutions
4. Focus on aspects of kitchen design and
ventilation
Source: CEEW analysis, 2018
The Roadmap lays
out strategies
for each fuel/
technology that
can support
growth along its
entire value chain
Executive summary xxiiRoadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
Fuel-based strategies to improve access, adoption, and use
A detailed set of strategies across fuels have been explained in this Roadmap. The fuel- or
technology-specific strategies focus on improving their availability and affordability in order
to facilitate sustained use. To that end, all interventions focus on three broad areas: i) the
development of technology or infrastructure; ii) business model(s); and iii) the financial
ecosystem. These interventions will ensure better availability and affordability of the
solutions.
The basket of clean cooking energy solutions considered in this Roadmap, for both urban and
rural India, include LPG, biogas, ICS, PNG, electricity, and solar-based cooking. Stacking will
be common among households transitioning to clean cooking energy, necessitating a multi-
fuel approach with multiple combinations of primary and secondary fuels and technologies.
However, different technologies are at different stages of readiness for adoption and scale.
While the ecosystem for LPG faces affordability and availability challenges, the ecosystem
for electricity needs far more infrastructural investment in order to become a feasible
solution for households in rural areas. For newer technologies such as solar-based cooking,
it is important to look at the efficiency and durability of the technology itself, to ensure that
it meets the cooking needs and diverse food practices of Indian households.
The strategies include actionable steps to be taken by the various ministries whose policies
and scope of work align with the needs of the clean cooking energy ecosystem. These include
recommendations on how existing ministry programmes could be integrated with the value
chain of clean cooking energy solutions, identifying possible areas for training and capacity-
building of stakeholders in the value chain, and on the new roles and responsibilities of
existing ministries in the context of the severity of the issue of public health and energy
access.


Monitoring and evaluation framework
A national roadmap on clean cooking energy would include a rigorous monitoring and
evaluation (M&E) component to facilitate the transition from the traditional chulha to the
sustained access and use of clean cooking energy. The national roadmap should be linked to
a third-party baseline, midterm, and endpoint evaluation of access to clean cooking energy.
We envisage the following principles for the M&E framework:
Source: CEEW analysis, 2018
Stacking will be
common among
households
transitioning
to clean
cooking energy,
necessitating a
multi-fuel approach
Mixed methods to
monitor the adoption
and use of clean cooking
energy
Evaluate the
multidimensional impact
of clean cooking energy
access
Regional and national
monitoring of progress
Common
strategies
across
fuels
Strategies for
technology or
infrastructure
development
Strategies
for business
model
development
Strategies
for financial
ecosystem
development
Improved adoption
and use induced
by improved
awareness,
availability, and
affordability of
clean cooking
energy solutions
Source: CEEW analysis xxiii
The M&E team for this mission should be independent of the programme team, although
engaging with them for regular reviews. A combination of quantitative and qualitative
research methods should be used to evaluate the roadmap. Administrative data on clean
cooking energy providers could also be leveraged to support the programme’s M&E. In
addition, technology should be leveraged to reduce the reporting bias from survey-based
methods. The impact assessment of the use of clean cooking energy should include a focus
on health, gender, and livelihoods. A multi-criteria assessment for the initial phase of the
mission will help build a stronger case for household adoption of clean cooking energy. The
M&E framework should include common review missions that allow multiple ministries to
regularly assess the progress in their focus areas. Monitoring should be done at the state,
district, and block levels in order to gather specific insights on progress, and accordingly
streamline efforts to address gaps.


Way forward
A multi-fuel, multi-stakeholder, and multipronged national strategy that considers not only
the supply side, but also the needs, aspirations, and priorities of consumers will ensure a
sustainable transition towards clean and affordable cooking energy access for all. There is a
need to prioritise action for each fuel and technology, based on its current level of maturity
in terms of penetration, user acceptance, technology development, etc. The promotion of
these alternatives should always be planned at a district and state level, but rooted in the
local context.
To fully address the development implications of the lack of energy access, it is important
to involve all concerned stakeholders in programme ideation and implementation,
including the private sector, civil society, government ministries, and consumers. The
recommendations in the Roadmap are relevant for all stakeholders in the clean cooking
energy space. Given the wide-ranging scope and implications of the strategies, the
Roadmap will be most useful if its implementation is overseen by a neutral inter-ministerial
commission that fosters an enabling market environment, and coordinates the activities of
all the concerned state and non-state actors.
The M&E framework
should include
common review
missions that allow
multiple ministries
to regularly assess
the progress in
their focus areas
Executive summary xxivRoadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
Image: iStock-Diy13
Over 77 million LPG connections have
been given out under the Pradhan Mantri
Ujjwala Yojana. 1 2
1.1. Framing the issue
U
rban India has achieved greater access to clean cooking energy than its rural
counterpart, with a significantly higher proportion of urban households primarily using
liquified petroleum gas (LPG).
FIGURE 1: Use of LPG as the primary cooking fuel was four times higher in urban areas
than in rural areas in 2012
Source: NSSO (2012)
The 68
th
round of the NSSO (2011–12) revealed that over two-thirds of households in
rural India still relied on firewood and cow dung for their primary
1
cooking fuel needs.
The Government of India has made efforts to enhance access to clean cooking energy
by promoting biogas, improved cookstoves (ICS), and LPG through various policies and
programmes. It has also envisioned new solutions—including electricity and piped natural
gas (PNG)—for meeting the demand for cooking energy in urban India. In recent years, the
most prominent effort of the government in terms of improving access to clean cooking
energy is the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) which has provided subsidised LPG
connections to over 77 million households (as of August 2019) and consequentially improved
1 Primary is defined as the cooking fuel or device used by the household to prepare most meals on a regular
basis.
1. Introduction
Use of LPG as the
primary cooking
fuel was four times
higher in urban
areas than in rural
areas in 2012
No cookingOthers Dung cakesKeroseneLPGFirewood and chips
60%
14%
68%
7%
9%
10%
1%
4%
6%
1%6%
15%
RuralUrban 3
About 94 per
cent of Indian
households now
have an LPG
connection
the penetration of LPG connections; about 94 per cent of Indian households have an LPG
connection as of April 2019. However, a recent study by Jain et. al (2018) in six of the most
energy access-deprived states—Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh,
and West Bengal—suggested that only about one-third of the rural population use LPG as
their primary cooking fuel.
Clean cooking energy solutions must be appraised from a multidimensional lens that
considers the complexities of the impacts of cooking energy. Jain et al. (2015a) use the
following dimensions as material aspects of clean cooking energy access, adapted for the
Indian context from those of the Global Tracking Framework (GTF).
Health and safety, pertaining to the health and safety impacts of HAP for each source of
cooking energy
Availability of the primary cooking fuel to the household on a regular basis
Quality of cooking associated with the primary cooking arrangement
Affordability of cooking energy source(s) when contrasted with the total monthly
household expenditure
Convenience of cooking, pertaining to the time taken for cooking and the ease of
handling cooking appliances
Studies show that despite having an active LPG connection, households stack LPG with
biomass for cooking. Burning biomass for cooking results in HAP, which causes, according
to recent estimates, at least 800,000 premature deaths across the country every year (IHME,
2016). Women and children are disproportionately affected as they are exposed to high levels
of HAP, and the tedious task of gathering fuelwood is often left to them.
The World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for household air pollution (HAP) focus
on the impact of household fuel combustion on child and adult health. Based on data on
exposure to HAP and on solid fuel use in developing countries, the WHO is developing
the Clean Household Energy Solutions Toolkit (CHEST) for planning household energy
policies and programmes at both the national and local level (WHO 2018). However, there
is no universally agreed upon definition of “clean” cooking energy; the term is used to
refer to cooking solutions that result in low, or no, HAP (particulate matter and carbon
monoxide), and in no outdoor air pollution in the form of black carbon emissions. Having
been subsidised for over three decades, LPG is now the predominant clean cooking fuel in
urban India. While the government has taken steps to increase the penetration not only of
LPG but also of alternatives like biogas, PNG, and ICS, there is a need to focus further on the
sustained use of these options. To mitigate the adverse health impacts of traditional biomass
cookstoves (chulhas), it is essential to devise policies that encourage stacking between only
clean cooking fuels and technologies, and to enable a permanent shift away from cooking
arrangements that cause HAP. In order to achieve significant progress in sustained clean
cooking energy access, there is a need to develop a coherent strategy that integrates access
to clean cooking energy with broader programmes for rural and human development.
Introduction 4Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
Vision of the Clean Cooking Energy Roadmap
Eliminate the use of all cooking arrangements that cause household air pollution across all
households in India by 2025
1.2. What is the Clean Cooking Energy Roadmap?
This report is the outcome of a year-long collaboration between CEEW, GIZ and NITI Aayog
that aimed to propose a set of actionable strategies in the form of a “roadmap” to achieve
clean cooking energy access for all households in the country. It builds on a comprehensive
understanding of the multitude of challenges and opportunities existent across all major
clean energy solutions and the sector as a whole. As a precursor to the Roadmap, a policy
brief by Patnaik et al. (2017) documented the challenges in the value chain of each clean
cooking energy fuel.
2
Readers are encouraged to read this brief as it helps lend necessary
context to many of the recommendations that are contained within this report.
We recognise that as each cooking fuel and technology is at a different stage of maturity
(due to its inherent characteristics, consumer use preferences, or policy support), there is a
need to evaluate the current state, needs, and growth potential of each fuel and technology
individually. The private and public support required to scale up biogas to realise its
potential nationwide will necessarily differ from that needed to improve the sustained use
of LPG in rural households. The Roadmap is committed to eliminating the use of cooking
arrangements that lead to HAP. This commitment builds on the recognition that accessible,
affordable, and convenient alternatives must be made available to all households in order to
meet their entire cooking and heating needs, and thus transition away from all arrangements
that cause HAP including traditional biomass cookstoves.
A multi-fuel approach that emphasises the exclusive use of clean cooking energy solutions
that complement each other is at the core of this long-term strategy. In the short to medium
term, the focus is on improving the availability and affordability of clean cooking energy,
and enhancing the awareness of households about the adverse health effects of directly
burning solid biomass for cooking.
The recommendations in the Roadmap are relevant for all stakeholders in the clean cooking
energy space—enterprises, policymakers, research institutions, and donors. It is written
primarily for policymakers, however, as the strategies require action on the part of various
government ministries and departments. Given the wide-ranging scope and implications
of the recommendations, the Roadmap will perhaps be most useful if its implementation is
overseen by a neutral ministerial commission that coordinates the activities of all concerned
agencies. While the focus should be multi-fuel and multidimensional, an integrated
approach and focus on clean cooking energy rather than on individual fuels or technologies
will reduce the duplication of efforts, and will create scope for hybrid solutions through a
combination of clean cooking energy fuels and technologies.
The goal of the Roadmap and the methodology used to arrive at, and prioritise, the
recommendations are outlined in Chapters 1 and 2. In Chapter 3, we list the guiding
principles of the roadmap, based upon which the recommendations have been developed.
The common and the fuel-wise strategies for improving access to clean cooking energy are
elaborated on in Chapters 4 and 5. We elaborate in some depth on each strategy in these
chapters, covering six major fuels and technologies—LPG, ICS, biogas, PNG, solar-based
2 The policy brief can be found at https://bit.ly/2ro9l8R.
The Roadmap
is committed to
eliminating the
use of cooking
arrangements that
lead to household
air pollution (HAP)
The Roadmap will
be most useful if
its implementation
is overseen by a
neutral ministerial
commission that
coordinates the
activities of all
concerned agencies 5
cooking, and electricity-based cooking. Chapter 6 documents examples of best practices
from around the world, across various clean cooking solutions. It points out where some
of the recommendations suggested in this Roadmap have either already been tested or are
being implemented. Finally, in Chapter 7, we propose a set of principles and indicators for
monitoring and evaluating the implementation and impact of the strategies.
Introduction 6
CEEW consulted a diverse set of
stakeholders that included energy
practitioners, civil society organisations,
and government agencies and ministries
to inform the Roadmap. 7
Images: CEEW 8
T
he Roadmap is based on (a) an extensive literature review of existing challenges in policy
and practice across all fuels and technologies; (b) semi-structured interviews with over
30 key stakeholders in India’s clean cooking energy ecosystem; and (c) group consultations
with 40 individuals from government ministries and departments, public sector
undertakings, private sector players, and sector enablers such as civil society organisations
(CSOs) and financiers. The document also draws from primary research undertaken by the
government and non-governmental institutions on the existing use of different fuels and
technologies, household expenditure on cooking energy, and the barriers to the adoption
and sustained use of these fuels and technologies.
2. Methodology
Image: iStock-Vasuki Rao 9
The document elaborates on strategies for the clean cooking energy sector as a whole and
for each clean fuel or technology. In order to prioritise the strategies for implementation,
a survey was conducted with experts
3
who rated each strategy across four criteria: (a)
effort required to implement the strategy; (b) time required to implement the strategy;
(c) likelihood of impact; and (d) scale of impact. We used a framework that combines the
parameters according to their relative importance, and then prioritises the strategies for
implementation by the government.
FIGURE 2: Methodology of the Roadmap
Source: CEEW analysis, 2018
3 We conducted an online survey with 16 experts across various stakeholder categories, in order to prioritise
interventions for LPG, biogas, and improved cookstoves. This exercise did not include PNG, or electricity- or
solar-based cooking. The experts rated each strategy across the four parameters (explained in the text). A
cumulative score was assigned to each strategy based on the responses by experts. This was used to assign
a priority (high/medium/low) and a timeline to each strategy. The details of the survey can be found in the
Annexure.
• Secondary research on
all clean cooking energy
solutions
• Analysis of publicly
available data
• Understanding global
best practices
• Stakeholder
consultations
• Engagement with
ministries
• Compilation
of the
Roadmap
Methodology 10Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
Image: iStock-Stocksolutions 11
The average thermal efficiency of LPG
stoves, at 55-57 per cent, is much lower
than that of induction stoves 12
3.1. Consider alternate uses of solid biomass to
eliminate its negative effects on health
T
he provision of clean cooking energy solutions does not in and of itself ensure health
benefits if households continue to use solid biomass for other needs such as space
heating, water heating, and the preparation of animal fodder. A contextualised approach
particular to each region will be necessary to eliminate the use of solid biomass. For
instance, in colder regions such as Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, it is important
to simultaneously make alternatives for space heating and other heating requirements
available, if HAP is to be eliminated. The drudgery of collecting firewood will remain if
households continue to rely on biomass to meet their energy needs. Any national strategy
that aims to promote clean cooking energy must consider the use of cooking fuels beyond
just households. Anganwadi centres, schools, small shops, restaurants, and canteens within
workplaces should be included in long-term strategies to improve access to clean cooking
energy and in turn to reduce exposure to HAP. Although we have not included interventions
to address the burning of solid biomass for other household needs such as heating, we
acknowledge the need to conduct thorough research on these aspects if HAP is to be
eliminated.
3.2. Measure the sustained use of the fuel or
technology
All endeavours aimed at improving access to clean cooking energy must measure the
consistent use of the fuel or technology as well as the sales, dissemination, and installation
numbers. Studies have consistently shown that households often discontinue the use
of cookstoves, biogas, and LPG owing to reasons of unaffordability, non-availability, or
non-functionality (Jain et al., 2018). Many households limit their use of clean cooking
energy alternatives to special occasions, stacking their use with the traditional chulha.
The mechanism used to monitor access should therefore be nuanced enough to capture
the exclusive use of clean cooking energy solutions and should focus on eliminating the
use of the chulha. The use of solid biomass for space heating in households should also
3. The Guiding Principles
of the Clean Cooking
Energy Roadmap
To eliminate
household air
pollution, it is
important to also
make alternatives
available for
space heating
and other heating
requirements 13
be measured. National Sample Survey (NSS) and Census data can be leveraged to access
information on stacking and/or the exclusive use of clean cooking energy, as well the use
of solid biomass for space heating among households in India. In addition, to address the
barriers to the sustained use of clean fuels and technologies, a context-based understanding
of social, economic, and cultural aspects is necessary. An effort to map areas that are suited
to certain fuels or technologies based on fuel availability, as well as agro-climatic and socio-
economic conditions, can help in better mapping of solutions. This could be done through
in-depth qualitative assessments alongside quantitative surveys. The Ministry of Petroleum
and Natural Gas (MoPNG) is best placed to work independently with research institutions,
civil society, and other government ministries to design such assessments.
3.3. Multidimensional and multi-fuel approach to
providing affordable access to clean cooking
energy
The national strategy on clean cooking energy should focus on multidimensional aspects
of access, including the availability, affordability, convenience, quality, and safety of the
cooking fuel or technology. It should therefore be technology agnostic, and should focus
on eliminating HAP through a combination of clean cooking energy solutions. This calls for
bundling various solutions based on context and geography. For example, in rural areas
with an adequate cattle population, the focus should be on complementing LPG with biogas,
while in other areas, solar-powered cooking could be one of the solutions. In areas with
abundant biomass, improved cookstoves could complement LPG. Even within a certain
geographical area, some households will find exclusive use of LPG affordable, while others
might find it expensive. Such a targeted approach to understanding and implementing clean
cooking solutions will require granular data on household needs and affordability, and a
mature ecosystem of deployers and services.
3.4. Multi-stakeholder approach to improve
adoption
The collaborative efforts of multiple ministries are critical to addressing the gaps in the value
chain for clean cooking energy solutions. Although each ministry has its own mandate, we
have identified synergies between their schemes that could be leveraged to implement a
coherent strategy. To unify the various socio-economic, cultural, and technological elements
of clean cooking energy efforts, it will be important to align the interests and integrate the
roles of all the relevant actors in the sector. A detailed assessment of such interests and roles
through regular monitoring and feedback will be useful for course correction and immediate
action. So far, these various actors have worked in silos and have engaged only occasionally
to share their learnings. It is imperative that these learnings be institutionalised and
effectively used; hence, it is important to have a collaborative stakeholder platform under
the mission.
In rural areas
with an adequate
cattle population,
the focus
should be on
complementing
LPG with biogas
The Guiding Principles of the Clean Cooking Energy Roadmap 14Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
FIGURE 3: Stakeholders in the clean cooking energy sector in India
Source: CEEW analysis, 2018
3.5. An ecosystem-based approach
To realise affordable access to clean cooking energy for all households in India, it is
imperative to take an ecosystem-based approach, in order to comprehensively understand,
identify, and address challenges across the value chain. The Roadmap will adopt an
ecosystem-based approach focusing simultaneously on first-time access to clean cooking
energy, operations, and maintenance; access to affordable finance for entrepreneurs and
end users; as well as research and development. Figure 3 outlines the broad categories
of ecosystem players who need to be consulted and included in the implementation of
solutions. This includes the various ministries that are responsible for multiple elements
of clean cooking energy solutions, enterprises that offer clean cooking energy solutions, oil
marketing and urban gas distribution companies, donors and financiers, consumers who
use these solutions, and other institutions such as NGOs and government labs that support
the innovation and adoption of solutions.
3.6. Inclusive and gender sensitive
The Roadmap is rooted in a rights-based framework that seeks to promote the right to
development, without discrimination, of women, children, and all marginalised groups.
Current socio-political structures compound the poor access of vulnerable groups to clean
cooking energy—the low opportunity cost of women’s labour leads to the undervaluation of
the time they spend collecting firewood, preparing dung cakes and fuelwood, and cooking.
Due to pre-existing patriarchal social conditioning and their lack of ownership rights or
access to incomes, women have limited influence on household expenditure decisions.
According to Jain et al. (2018), although 58 per cent of rural households use LPG, access is
skewed towards upper classes, with 69 per cent of General households using LPG against
just 38 per cent of Scheduled Tribe households. Similarly, access to clean cooking energy
is limited for the urban poor owing to the lack of affordability and documentation. Hence,
the strategy for access must ensure social inclusion of all marginalised groups regardless
of caste, gender, and age. This necessitates a targeted context-based approach, region by
region, to ensure equitable access across social groups.
The Roadmap
is rooted in a
rights-based
framework that
promotes the right
to development,
without
discrimination, of
all marginalised
groups
Donors and
financial
institutions
Government
ministries and
agencies
Civil society
Clean cooking
energy
enterprises and
implementors
Consumers 15
3.7. Access to clean cooking energy as a
developmental goal
Access to modern energy services is fundamental to fulfilling basic social needs, driving
economic growth, and supporting human development. As an enabler of human
development, access to clean cooking energy will allow millions—particularly women and
children—to escape HAP and drudgery, and will reduce time poverty. It will allow families to
benefit from better health and the increased productivity of their members. To this end, we
need to evolve our understanding of access to clean cooking energy, not for energy access
alone, but also for human development.
This can be achieved by integrating access to clean cooking energy into existing government
schemes in the various ministries. For instance, the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY),
under the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), aims at empowering citizens to transform
villages into successful models through inclusive and holistic development in a time-bound
manner. As nodal officers for the implementation of the programme, district collectors
can be encouraged to include access to clean cooking energy in the strategy for SAGY. The
adoption and adaptation of technologies and the introduction of innovations are critical
to this programme. Hence, improved versions of clean cookstoves and biogas plants (in
addition to LPG) could be introduced under this programme in order to eliminate stacking of
LPG with chulhas. The scheme envisages holding mahila sabhas and bal sabhas to discuss
women- and children-specific issues and concerns. This could become an effective platform
for increasing women’s awareness of the negative health effects of burning firewood, and
could help enable them to voice any complaints they may have about the availability of clean
cooking energy solutions.
The Guiding Principles of the Clean Cooking Energy Roadmap 16Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
Image: iStock-pixelfusion3d 17
Household air pollution from the
incomplete combustion of solid fuels
disproportionately affects women and
children 18
4.1. Improve awareness of the health impacts of
traditional biomass chulhas
B
oth, limited awareness of the impact of burning solid fuels on health, and ignorance
of the benefits of cleaner cooking fuels, influence bottom-up demand. According to
Jain et al. (2015a), 72 per cent of households that use solid biomass are aware that it has
adverse impacts on their health. Despite that, only 59 per cent believe that LPG has positive
health benefits over traditional cooking fuels. In 2015, a Steering Committee on Indoor
Air Pollution constituted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare acknowledged the
impact of burning solid biomass in chulhas on women’s health, and emphasised the need for
government interventions to ensure the ubiquitous availability of clean cooking fuels (Rao,
2016). The health department seeks to include village health and sanitation committees in
efforts, campaigns, programmes, and policies aimed at bringing about a behavioural change
towards using clean cooking energy solutions and a move away from solid biomass.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) could play an important role as a
neutral party, not promoting a particular technology, but educating households about HAP.
In public awareness efforts, along with the message, it is equally important for users to
trust the carrier of the message or information. Villagers are understandably reluctant to
believe statements from institutions about the health impact of using biomass in traditional
chulhas, suspecting them of having an agenda such as, for example, promoting LPG or
biogas. It is important that the message comes from an authoritative independent source
such as the MoHFW. Sub-centres and primary health centres are the closest access points to
healthcare for the rural population, and thus could be effective venues for communication.
Through posters and other kinds of visual representation, people could be made aware of the
negative effects of using solid biomass as a cooking fuel. Communication instruments such
as radio announcements and community-based broadcasting could be used to disseminate
information about indoor air pollution and its effect on perinatal health (still births, low
birth weight, etc.), as part of announcements on reproductive health. Accredited social
health activists (ASHAs) are the primary interface between the public health system and the
community, and hail from the very communities they serve. They regularly engage with rural
households on aspects of maternal and child health, and thus are a reliable and effective
medium for the dissemination of information about the negative health effects of using solid
biomass.
4. Sectoral Strategies to
Improve Access to All
Clean Cooking Energy
Solutions
Sub-centres and
primary health
centres are the
closest access points
to healthcare for
the rural population,
and thus could be
effective venues for
communication 19
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) can play an instrumental role in assessing
the health effects of exposure to emissions from solid biomass on women and children.
Research leading to a database of such information will aid health and energy professionals
to design effective solutions for affected populations. The Roadmap for Access to Clean
Cooking Energy should budget for such data collection and assessment activities.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development could also support awareness campaigns
through its network of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). Anganwadi workers
could be trained to handle queries on HAP and its impact on children’s health and well-
being. Building the message around the health of children could encourage more parents to
take note of the issue and seek affordable clean cooking energy solutions.
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj can support the institutionalisation of affordable clean
cooking energy access as an essential element of development for villages. Similar to LPG
panchayats, biogas panchayats hosted by gram sabhas can offer people the opportunity to
improve their awareness by interacting with various stakeholders in the biogas ecosystem—
including manufacturers, distributors, and servicemen—and have their queries addressed.
4.2. Understanding the market and consumers
The sector could benefit from detailed studies that offer context-based consumer
segmentation with respect to food habits, willingness to pay, fuel mix, frequency of cooking,
current stoves, etc. A recent study conducted by Nielsen classified rural and peri-urban
consumers into four segments in order to identify early adopters of clean fuels and stoves.
Though the study focused on Rajasthan and Kerala, it provides a framework for classifying
consumers across India. The segments identified for Rajasthan are elaborated below as an
illustrative example (Nielsen, 2016). Focused studies of a similar nature can help multiple
players in the sector.
TABLE 1: Consumer segments for adoption of clean fuels and stoves
Consumer
segment
DescriptionApproach
Discerning
affluent
This segment is in the highest socio-economic classi-
fication (SEC) and bases its decisions on convenience
and traditional beliefs. This segment does not lack
purchasing power but continues using solid fuel due
to traditional and cultural rigidity and taste preferenc-
es. Predominantly mixed fuel users, they use solid fuel
stoves primarily for cooking rotis and other traditional
food items, and use LPG for cooking all other items.
A focus on increasing the
awareness of household
members, and especially
educating decision mak-
ers, is necessary.
Struggling
maximisers
The segment is at a medium-level SEC, trying to bal-
ance both ends. The large size of families as well as
convenience factors play a key role in the selection
of fuels, while a traditional orientation plays a small
role. A good proportion of these households reported
having access to LPG; however, usage of LPG remains
limited. Although these households understand the
negative health effects of using solid biomass, they
consider LPG usage to be a costly alternative and so
continue to use solid fuel.
Complementary solu-
tions (biogas, cookstoves,
solar-powered cook-
ing, and electric stoves)
should be encouraged,
and affordability should
be improved by enabling
payment through instal-
ments.
Sectoral Strategies to Improve Access to All Clean Cooking Energy Solutions 20Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
Consumer
segment
DescriptionApproach
Wishful This segment has a low SEC profile and affordability
is the key issue; however, there is a strong desire to
escape this condition. The households in this segment
predominantly use solid fuel but emphatically report
its inconvenience.
Clean cooking energy
enterprises should pro-
vide affordable biogas,
solar-powered cooking,
and improved cookstoves
for enabling households
to transition to a clean
and convenient fuel or
technology.
Strapped This segment falls in the lowest SEC profile and does
not have the disposable income to pay for cooking
fuel. They continue to use solid fuel in the absence
of affordable alternative fuels, and purchasing power
remains the key constraint.
Improved cookstoves
(with or without subsidy)
should be provided,
coupled with instalment
schemes, in order to
encourage a shift away
from chulhas. Ventilation
of the kitchen should
be improved through
chimneys.
Source: Nielsen, 2016
Most government efforts to promote clean cooking energy in the last few decades have
focused on improving the availability of fuels and the deployment of solutions, with a
limited understanding of consumer needs. While there have been isolated attempts by civil
society actors to gauge consumer satisfaction with small-scale biogas plants or improved
biomass cookstoves, government policies have continued to focus on technical specifications
such as efficiency and emissions, while giving limited consideration to convenience of use
and after-sales service support. Often, the small sample size and low external validity of
these studies have limited their integration into any national strategy.
A key knowledge gap is the lack of reliable estimates of consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP)
for either the upfront cost or the recurring cost of fuel. These estimates should be sensitive
to the different types of consumers, including their cooking habits and needs and how
much they are willing to pay. Such market segmentation will be useful for entrepreneurs to
better understand the consumer base, and thereby to more effectively tailor their marketing
strategy.
There is also a need for qualitative assessments that span various cultural contexts in
order to adequately appreciate the operational challenges associated with the proper use
of the solution. Documenting the challenges and remedies at the household level will help
distributors adopt more personable and practical methods of generating demand.
For widescale communications—given the characteristics of the typical rural household—
outreach should primarily be carried out through community radio stations and, in certain
pockets, television advertisements and WhatsApp. It might be useful to have popular
local personalities advocating clean cooking fuels. For more targeted dissemination,
local community institutions could be leveraged to carry out sensitisation and awareness
drives. The people in these institutions are likely to be well known and understood in the
community and, as such, hearing about new technologies from such trusted sources would
increase the likelihood of their adoption and of positive word-of-mouth dissemination.
A key knowledge
gap is the lack of
reliable estimates
of consumers’
willingness to pay
for access to clean
cooking energy 21
4.3. Understanding the social and cultural factors
influencing access to energy
As explained earlier, we understand access to clean cooking energy as being more than
just the adoption of the technology; increasing access includes supporting its primary
and sustained use in a manner that is affordable and convenient. While improving the
availability and affordability of the technology are essential, that does not necessarily lead to
its adoption and use. In fact, access itself is influenced by factors such as political will, local
networks and influencers, and consumers’ perceptions. Further, household and community
socio-economic structures influence the priority assigned to cooking as an activity and to the
health of the women engaged in it. A national roadmap for access to clean cooking energy
must be cognisant of the socio-economic disparity in India, and must, therefore, refrain
from a one-solution-fits-all approach. Understanding geographic, social, and economic
contexts is essential to identifying barriers to access and to designing appropriate solutions.
Most importantly, any programme on access to clean cooking energy must be gender
inclusive and must understand the implication of policies for the inclusion and exclusion
of women. Enhancing women’s agency to navigate social structures around gender norms,
and improving their capacity to negotiate with the men of the household, the community,
the state, and the market (Kelkar et al., 2016), is of utmost importance if the transition to
clean cooking energy is to be sustained. Access to clean cooking energy should therefore
be analysed in terms of a broader context, one that spans beyond access to energy and
intersects with socio-political structures within and outside a household.
4.4. Focus on aspects of kitchen design and
ventilation
There should be a focus on improving kitchen design to allow for ventilation, especially
in households that use biomass for cooking. According to Census 2011, about 40 per cent
of houses in India did not have a separate kitchen. Designs for better ventilation could
be promoted under the MoRD’s housing scheme, Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin
(PMAY-G). For the safe use of LPG, cooking must take place on an elevated platform. This
could also be incorporated into the design for the kitchens being constructed under PMAY-G.
For those living in houses built without PMAY-G support, a programme designed to increase
their awareness of the importance of ventilation could be helpful. The contractors who
undertake the construction work could be trained by the MoRD to focus on these aspects
when constructing houses in rural areas.
4.5. Improving data availability for energy access
The most widely cited data sources on energy access in India are the Census and the
National Sample Survey Office (NSSO). While they are nationally representative surveys,
their frequency is rather limited, with Census data being made available once in 10 years,
and NSSO data on consumer expenditure available every five years. There is a need to collect
granular data on energy access more frequently. Data on cooking energy must capture its
multidimensionality by going beyond just the instalment of a connection, and documenting
the lived experience of using cooking energy fuels and technologies.
Although many CSOs across the country have made attempts to measure varying aspects of
clean cooking energy access in different states and at different times, they have often done so
in silos. A national strategy on clean cooking energy could unify these uncoordinated data
The roadmap must
be cognisant of the
socio-economic
disparity in India,
and must refrain
from a one-
solution-fits-all
approach
As of 2011, about
40 per cent of
houses in India
did not have a
separate kitchen
Sectoral Strategies to Improve Access to All Clean Cooking Energy Solutions 22Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
gathering efforts, and could leverage the local expertise of CSOs to improve the frequency of
energy access data collection. At relatively little extra cost, it could also engage the Ministry
of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) to collect nationally representative
data on energy access as part of its many existing surveys on consumer expenditure and
health. This would enable immediate course correction in the implementation of government
schemes, especially considering the fast-evolving nature of energy access.
4.6. Streamlining of subsidies on cooking energy
with better targeting of consumers
The subsidy for direct benefit transfer for LPG (DBTL) has increased from INR 12,000 Crore
in 2016-17 to about INR 21,000 Crore in 2017-18 (PPAC, 2018). However, the distribution of
LPG subsidies has been inequitable, with subsidy transfers disproportionately accruing to
consumers and businesses in most-developed states and union territories (Clarke 2014). A
prime reason for this inequity has also been the lack of LPG connections among low-income
citizens. The PMUY has addressed this barrier, allowing below poverty line (BPL) households
to avail a new subsidised LPG connection. However, whether the benefit actually translates
into gains for the beneficiaries will be highly dependent on their ability to afford refills.
There is also a scheme through which the government provides subsidies to households for
the construction of biogas plants and for the purchase of improved cookstoves. However,
an integrated fuel subsidy reform that focuses on the subsidisation of clean cooking energy
(purchase or use)—as opposed to the subsidisation of each fuel or technology—could benefit
households better, allowing them a choice and ensuring sustained use. It would also allow
the government to plan for the country’s overall cooking energy needs instead of planning
individually for each fuel or technology.
Jain et. al (2016) argue for better targeting of LPG consumers and move towards a
differentiated subsidy regime reflective of the economic situation of the household to enable
affordability of LPG. A flat subsidy for all households may not lend to an optimal outcome,
given the limited resources available to any government. A subsidy regime that is able to
differentiate the entitlements for different socioeconomic groups would be essential to
improving affordability of LPG among households. DBTL provides a path to set a common
market price for LPG and enable subsidy targeting and differential subsidy. While the
government has already announced the exclusion of households based on their reported
annual income, the population covered under this method is limited. A better targeting
method – one that uses proxies to ascertain economic wellbeing - would allow for an
accurate assessment of the subsidy needs of the households using LPG.
4.7. Leverage alternate financing solutions
Given the scale of development challenges such as the lack of access to clean cooking
energy, they often require system-scale investments to streamline supply-side bottlenecks.
Seeing as public funds alone may not be able to address these problems, they should be
leveraged strategically to unlock private investments in the clean cooking energy sector. The
use of public funds as capital guarantee for private investments will help in reducing the rate
of lending, and in boosting investor confidence.
Private investors should look to lend to rural energy enterprises through results-based
financing, where funding is tied to verifiable, pre-determined outcomes and outputs.
This can improve the performance and long-term impacts of energy access projects, as
households will be incentivised to use the products regularly, reducing exposure to HAP.
There is a need to
collect granular
data on energy
access more
frequently
A subsidy regime
that differentiates
entitlements
on the basis of
socioeconomic
characteristics
will improve
affordability of LPG
among households 23
Further, given the emissions-reducing potential of clean cooking energy solutions, it is
also important to explore carbon finance—which has been used to scale up ICS in several
countries—as an alternative to incentivise households to use them. According to MNRE, the
offsets generated from cookstoves are reportedly the most sought-after among voluntary
offset purchases (MNRE, 2014a). The integration of efforts to facilitate voluntary carbon
credits across enterprises that offer renewable energy-based cooking solutions can help
improve the availability of finance for both consumers and enterprises. However, given
the sensitivity of this mode of finance to global markets and politics, it should be used
cautiously and in appropriate conditions that are likely to render positive outcomes.
Sectoral Strategies to Improve Access to All Clean Cooking Energy Solutions 24Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
Households in India use a range of
clean cooking energy alternatives: LPG,
improved cookstoves, biogas, PNG, and
electricity- and solar-based cooking
technologies 25
Images: iStock 26
5. Fuel-specific Strategies
for Improving Access to
Clean Cooking Energy
5.1. Convergence and stacking of fuels
N
o one fuel or technology would be able to meet all the cooking energy needs of a
diverse country like India. Differences in food patterns, income levels, the availability
of fuels, and cultural norms must be considered in order to gain a holistic understanding of
cooking needs and cooking energy in the country. While stacking is a reality, the focus of a
multi-fuel-based approach should be to ensure a clean stack, based on the availability and
affordability of all options. With 31 per cent urbanisation and a per capita income of INR
39,143, approximately 1,104 TWh of energy is used for domestic cooking in India (NITI Aayog,
n.d.). On average, every year, a household uses about 7 to 8 LPG cylinders, or 170 standard
cubic metres (scm) of PNG, or 1,022 kWh of electricity for cooking. After accounting for stove
efficiencies using modern fuels, the average useful energy needed for cooking per day per
household is estimated at ~7 MJ/day (NITI Aayog, n.d.). The long-term energy scenarios
estimated by NITI Aayog (Indian Energy Security Scenarios, IESS) consider the exclusive use
of only one fuel at the household level. However, these scenarios do not consider household
stacking of cooking energy solutions, whereas the reality remains that urban as well as rural
households continue to stack various cooking energy arrangements. Any demand projection
exercise, as well as government strategy stemming from them, need to account for stacking,
and need to take action towards ensuring a clean cooking energy stack.
Any demand
projection
exercise, as well
as government
strategy must
account for
stacking 27
FIGURE 4A AND 4B: IESS 2047 projections of the use of LPG and electricity in rural India;
PNG and LPG in urban India
Source: NITI Aayog, forthcoming
Stacking will remain a key aspect of the transition towards clean cooking energy access for
all, allowing for a multi-fuel approach with multiple combinations of primary and secondary
fuels and technologies. Key strategies across fuels have been summarised below, with details
in the following sections. These strategies have been prioritised as low, medium, or high by
experts, where each strategy was rated across four criteria: (a) effort required to implement
the strategy; (b) time required to implement the strategy; (c) likelihood of impact; and (d)
scale of impact. We used a framework that combines the parameters according to their
relative importance, and then prioritises strategies for implementation by the government.
A time frame has been assigned for the implementation of each of the strategies (2020,
2021-2022, 2023-2025) based on its priority.
Fuel-specific Strategies for Improving Access to Clean Cooking Energy
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Ambitious effort scenarioBusiness As Usual
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Ambitious effort scenarioBusiness As Usual
BiomassPNGBiogasElectricityLPG
BiogasElectricityPNGLPG
IESS 2047 projections for cooking energy in rural India
IESS 2047 projections for cooking energy in urban India 28Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
TABLE 2: List of identified strategies to improve access to clean cooking energy in India,
by source of cooking energy, including degree of urgency and priority
LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS
S.No. StrategyStakeholder PriorityTimeline
5.2.1 Technology development
#LPG01
Invest in R&D to improve the thermal
efficiency of LPG stoves
MoPNG
4
; DST
5
High 2020
#LPG02
Make energy-efficiency labelling for LPG
stoves mandatory industry-wide
MoPNG; MoP
6
High 2020
#LPG03
Promote innovation in, and bulk
procurement of, composite fibreglass LPG
cylinders
MoPNG Low 2023-2025
5.2.2 Improve availability and accessibility of LPG
#LPG04
Enable self-help groups (SHGs) and other
local outlets to become extension counters
for rural distributors
MoPNG; MoRD
7
;
SRLMs
8
High 2020
#LPG05
Stock small LPG cylinders with Kisan Seva
Kendras and local shops in rural areas
MoPNG; OMCs
9
Medium 2020
#LPG06
Increase rural LPG coverage, and improve
safety/security of warehousing and
retailing by enhancing skilling support for
entrepreneurs and workers interested in
LPG distributorships
MoPNG; NSDC
10
;
MoRD
High 2020
5.2.3 Improve affordability for sustained use
#LPG07
Provide low-interest loans to households
for LPG refills through SHGs, to allow
flexible payment plans and to promote the
sustained use of LPG
MoPNG; MoRD;
SRLMs
Medium 2020
#LPG08
Promote innovation and bulk procurement
of pay-as-you-go smart valves for LPG
cylinders
MoPNG; Donors Medium 2021-2022
IMPROVED COOKSTOVES
S.No. StrategyStakeholder PriorityTimeline
5.3.1 Research and development
#ICS01
Invest in R&D of ICS to improve their
resilience/longevity, efficiency, safety, and
user convenience to bring their on-field
emissions within WHO safe limits (Tier 4)
MNRE
11
; DST Medium 2021-2022
#ICS02
Invest in R&D infrastructure, including
laboratories for the testing of various
models
MNRE; DST;
IITs
12
Medium 2021-2022
4 Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
5 Department of Science and Technology
6 Ministry of Power
7 Ministry of Rural Development
8 State Rural Livelihoods Missions
9 Oil marketing companies
10 National Skill Development Corporation
11 Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
12 Indian Institutes of Technology 29
IMPROVED COOKSTOVES
S.No. StrategyStakeholder PriorityTimeline
#ICS03
Mandate that testing centres provide
detailed lab reports on ICS to
manufacturers instead of the current ‘pass/
fail’ report
MNRE Medium 2021-2022
#ICS04
Mandate on-field testing in the certification
process of cookstoves
MNRE Medium 2020
#ICS05
Make the labelling of energy efficiency and
emissions on ICS mandatory; push the
industry to improve their efficiency
MNRE Medium 2021-2022
#ICS06
Mandate empanelled enterprises to provide
warranties on ICS for at least as long as the
loan repayment period
MNRE Medium 2020
5.3.2 Improve the capacity of national and local agencies
#ICS07
Create scope in policy for better capacity-
building of state- and national-level
implementation agencies
MNRE Medium 2021-2022
5.3.3 Create and support a market for pellets
#ICS08
Support rural entrepreneurs/self-help
groups (SHGs) through preferential loans
and capital subsidies for the production and
distribution of pellets/briquettes
MNRE; MoRD Medium 2023-2025
#ICS09
Pilot various business models of
pelletisation
MNRE Low 2023-2025
#ICS10
Provide subsidised training in pellet
manufacturing and ICS manufacturing,
assembling, and marketing to local
entrepreneurs and workers
MNRE; SCGJ
13
;
MoRD
Medium 2021-2022
5.3.4 Improve the financial ecosystem
#ICS11
Sensitise bank professionals to lend to
empanelled ICS enterprises to ease their
working capital requirements
MNRE; MoF
14
High 2020
14

1516
BIOGAS
S.No. StrategyStakeholder PriorityTimeline
5.4.1 Research and development
#BGS01
Provide grants for the promotion of new
technologies that are less effort intensive
and/or more efficient
MNRE; DST High 2021-2022
#BGS02
Invest in R&D to develop double-burner
stoves that can use LPG and biogas
MNRE; MoPNG;
DST
Medium2021-2022
5.4.2 Testing business models
#BGS03
Allow subsidies for prefabricated biogas
plants
MNRE High 2020
#BGS04
Pilot enterprise-based models for biogas-
as-a-service, and offer incentives, such as
cheaper loans, to rural biogas entrepreneurs
MNRE Medium2020
13 Skill Council for Green Jobs
14 Ministry of Finance
15 Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
16 Ministry of Panchayati Raj
Fuel-specific Strategies for Improving Access to Clean Cooking Energy 30Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
BIOGAS
S.No. StrategyStakeholder PriorityTimeline
#BGS05
Invest in R&D to reduce the cost of biogas
bottling and packaging
MNRE; DST High 2020
5.4.3 Generating awareness
#BGS06
Organise demonstrations that illustrate the
experience of using biogas by outlining the
differences between modern biogas plants
and traditional chulhas, as well as older
models of biogas
MNRE; Mo-
HFW
15
; MoRD;
MoPR
16
Medium2020
5.4.4 Strengthen the skill-development ecosystem for better installations and after-sales service
#BGS07
Provide subsidised training in manufactur-
ing, marketing, and maintenance to local
entrepreneurs and workers; and in plant
operation to users
MNRE; SCGJ;
MoRD
High 2021-2022
5.4.5 Streamline easy operation and maintenance for existing biogas plants
#BGS08
Start a helpline for households to report
breakdowns and guarantee the time frame
for the repair
MNRE High 2020
5.4.6 Ecosystem for finance
#BGS09
Sensitise financial institutions and other
investors to the newest business models in
biogas and related technologies
MNRE; MoF Medium2020
#BGS10
Improve ease of access to consumer finance
for biogas
MNRE High 2020
#BGS11
Involve agricultural finance institutions in
supporting biogas plants
MoAFW
17
; MNREMedium2021-2022
17181920
PIPED NATURAL GAS
S.No. StrategyStakeholder PriorityTimeline
#PNG01
Credit-linked instalments for PNG connec-
tions
MoPNG;
PNGRB
18
; CGDs
19
High 2020
#PNG02
Adoption of prepaid metres that allow
recurring payments of smaller amounts
MoPNG;
PNGRB; CGDs
Medium 2021-2022
#PNG03
Prevent households from having both LPG
and PNG connections
MoPNG; CGDs Medium 2021-2022
#PNG04
Decentralise the supply and distribution
of LNG
MoPNG;
PNGRB; CGDs
Medium 2021-2022
#PNG05
Manage the profitability of CGDs through
a healthy balance of import and domestic
LNG
MoPNG;
PNGRB; CGDs
Medium 2021-2022
17 Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare
18 Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board
19 City Gas Distributors
20 National Institute of Solar Energy 31
SOLAR-BASED COOKING
S.No. StrategyStakeholder PriorityTimeline
#SOL01
R&D to improve the efficiency and afford-
ability of solar thermal/electric cooking
DST; MNRE;
NISE
20
High 2020
#SOL02
Improve terms of patents and prizes in
competitions to allow serious entrepreneurs
to apply
DST; MNRE;
PSUs
21
Medium2020
#SOL03
Pilot enterprise-based business models
and facilitate access to affordable credit for
entrepreneurs and households
MNRE; MoPNG Medium2021-2022
ELECTRICITY-BASED COOKING
S.No. StrategyStakeholder PriorityTimeline
#ELC01 Improve the quality of electricity accessMoP; PMO
22
High 2020
#ELC02
Ensure that the connection and peak loads
can support induction stoves legally
MoPHigh 2021-2022
#ELC03
Map the willingness and ability to pay for
electricity in order to identify priority areas
that can use electricity as cooking energy
MoPMedium2021-2022
#ELC04
Improve the energy efficiency of induction
cookstoves
Donors; Private
enterprises; DST;
MoP
Medium2020
#ELC05
Improve consumer awareness of electric
cooking and stove efficiency
MoPMedium2021-2022
Source: CEEW analysis, 2018; Survey with experts
21 Prime Minister’s Office
22 Based on interviews with a limited number of clean cooking enterprises in the sector.
Fuel-specific Strategies for Improving Access to Clean Cooking Energy 32Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
5.2. LPG
The diversity across and within states requires that policy makers understand these
geographic and cultural differences or similarities, and design solutions to improve access
to cooking energy accordingly. As of April 2019, India’s LPG coverage based on the active
connections is about 94 per cent (PPAC, 2019a). Despite this high coverage, use of LPG varies
widely across states, across rural and urban areas, and across different income and social
groups. In 2015-16, as per NFHS, only 23 per cent of rural households used LPG for their
primary cooking needs, as opposed to 78 per cent of urban households (IIPS and ICF, 2017).
In 2011-12, as per NSSO, 4.25 per cent of households in the lowest wealth quintile used LPG
as their primary source of cooking energy, in comparison to about 75 per cent in the highest
wealth quintile.
23
In rural India, the use of LPG as a primary cooking fuel is limited by the
lack of availability, the steep cost of acquiring a connection, the unaffordability of refills, and
the availability of free-of-cost biomass (Jain et al., 2018). Below we discuss strategies that
could improve access to LPG and increase sustained use of the fuel.
23 NSSO 68
th
Round offers the most recent nationally representative data on cooking energy. While the
information is dated, it provides us an indicative trend on adoption and the use of various fuels in India.
However, we have used more recent data from MoPNG and other surveys such as Jain et al. (2015a; 2018),
wherever possible. 33
5.2.1. Technology development
#LPG01 Invest in R&D to improve the thermal efficiency of LPG stoves
The thermal efficiency of the LPG stoves used in India is about 55–57 per cent, which is much
lower than the 84 per cent efficiency of induction stoves (Jain et al., 2015b). Improving stove
efficiency will reduce the consumption of gas and improve the experience of cooking. Some
oil marketing companies (OMCs) are trying to introduce more efficient stoves for their new
customers. Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) is, for instance, providing its customers with stoves
that have an efficiency of 68 per cent and are certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards
(BIS). The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) also has a voluntary energy-star labelling
system to rate the efficiency of domestic LPG stoves. The lowest star rating comprises
efficiency between 68–72 per cent, and the highest is above 81 per cent (BEE 2016).
Radiant burners are an alternative to conventional burners in terms of improved efficiency.
Radiant burners use a porous material to mix fuel and air and to house the flame, producing
both convective and radiant heat. Studies have shown that radiant burners can provide an
efficiency rate of up to 71 per cent (Muthukumar, 2014).
#LPG02 Make energy-efficiency labelling for LPG stoves mandatory industry-wide
Making energy-efficiency labelling mandatory will help push the industry to make better
burners and will also help in educating customers on energy efficiency. A few practitioners
have been working on improving the efficiency of stoves, in partnership with OMCs. For
example, in a joint undertaking of oil majors in India, Agnisumukh has strategically tied up
with the LPG Equipment Research Centre for joint research programmes.
#LPG03 Promote innovation in, and bulk procurement of, composite fibreglass LPG
cylinders
Composite fibre cylinders are much lighter than metal cylinders and safer to use. As they
are transparent, users can ascertain the level of gas in the cylinder at any given time.
However, the reported cost of such cylinders (for 14.2 kg) is about INR 3,000, which is more
than double the cost of a metal cylinder (Airy, 2016). OMCs believe that with higher rates
of adoption, the cost of the cylinder will decrease due to economies of scale (ibid.). The
improved quality and weight of cylinders can also have positive implications for distribution.
Lighter cylinders will be easier and cheaper to transport, and as a result, they could help
improve service delivery and reduce transportation costs for distributors. In areas where
road access is poor or seasonal, lighter cylinders can be more easily transported by two-
wheelers and by other locally available modes of transport. In hilly terrains, it could help
reduce the drudgery of physically carrying cylinders.
The thermal
efficiency of the
LPG stoves is
about 55–57 per
cent; much lower
than the 84 per
cent efficiency of
induction stoves 34Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
FIGURE 5: Composite LPG cylinders
Image: Aburi Composites, 2015
5.2.2. Improve availability and accessibility of LPG
Several concerns around LPG distribution are yet to be addressed. First, although the
number of rural distributors has increased considerably in recent years—by 3,591 in 2018-
19, 1,360 in 2017-18, and by 870 in 2016-17—the growth has not be even across states.
For instance, between 2016 and 2019, in Uttar Pradesh, connections increased by 51 per
cent and distributorships increased by 44 per cent, whereas in Madhya Pradesh, these
numbers were further apart at 65 per cent and 20 per cent, respectively. Second, due to
the affordability constraints of newly connected households, rural distributors also face
a risk of encountering a low demand for refills (Jha, 2017). This adversely affects their
ability to deliver cylinders to the doorstep of consumers, as is mandated under the Unified
Distribution Guidelines for LPG (2016). Only 41 per cent of rural households receive home-
delivery of LPG cylinders, while the median one-way distance to procure an LPG cylinder
ranges from 2 km in West Bengal to 7 km in Madhya Pradesh, indicative of the hardship
associated with accessing the fuel.
#LPG04 Enable self-help groups (SHGs) and other local outlets to become extension
counters for rural distributors
Although home delivery has been mandated by the Unified Distributorship Guidelines,
discussions with LPG distributors reveal that in most rural areas, it is difficult to home
deliver LPG cylinders. Many customers have to pick up the cylinder from the distributor or
must incur additional expenses to have the cylinder delivered home. To improve availability
in villages, sub-distributorships could be allowed within safety limits and with verifiable
background and infrastructural checks. The current guidelines allow the storage of up to 100
kgs of gas—6 large cylinders or 20 small (5-kg) cylinders. The potential sub-distributors could
be SHGs with an existing track record of operating commercially viable businesses, or Kisan
Seva Kendras (KSKs) operated by IOCL. Such alternative models are encouraged by the Draft
National Energy Policy (NITI Aayog, 2017), which calls for alternative payment terms and
retail practices that will be more suitable for rural markets.
Leveraging local institutions to stock LPG cylinders and supply households directly will
very likely reduce the distance travelled by users to procure cylinders. In addition, the sub-
distributorships may provide other services such as selling and repairing gas stoves and
selling cooking vessels (including pressure cookers). Moreover, the prevalent social network
Only 41 per cent of
rural households
received LPG
cylinders at their
doorstep in 2018
Fuel-specific Strategies for Improving Access to Clean Cooking Energy
Leveraging local
institutions to
stock LPG and to
supply directly to
households will
reduce the distance
travelled by users
to procure cylinders 35
and the trust between households and SHG members could be leveraged to allow for the
payment of LPG refills in instalments. This will help align households’ cash flows with
their outlay on cooking fuel, overcoming the lumped cost associated with LPG refills. For
households that are unable to afford LPG even on an instalment basis, SHG members could
sensitise women to the time-saving potential of LPG and connect them with opportunities to
use the saved time for income-generating activities.
The Ministry of Rural Development implements programmes focused on livelihood
enhancement and skill development that can be integrated with the value chain of LPG
to improve access, affordability, and awareness of the fuel. One of its key programmes—
the National Rural Livelihoods Mission—aims to create efficient and effective institutional
platforms to enable the rural poor to increase their household income through sustainable
livelihood enhancements and improved access to financial services. NRLM’s support for self-
employed individuals and entrepreneurs can be integrated with clean energy interventions.
In order to integrate local institutions with the LPG distribution network, it will be crucial
to make provisions for competitive financial incentives. At present, the commission per
cylinder is the same for all categories of distributors. While the urban distributor benefits
from high volumes, the rural distributor grapples with the low demand for refills (Jha 2017).
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) is working with agencies to use data
intelligence to monitor distributor performance and adherence to safety guidelines across
districts in India. It is equally important to design incentive structures that allow distributors
to cater to the needs of rural areas. The current distribution terms may not be adequate to
service households in remote parts of the country.

How SHGs can add value to LPG distribution?
Awareness: SHG members can engage with individuals in their local area to improve aware-
ness of the negative health effects of household air pollution from the use of the traditional
chulha, and of the safety procedures and use practices of LPG. These interactions will comple-
ment and reinforce the messages disseminated at LPG panchayats; they will also encourage
those with LPG connections to use the fuel on a regular basis, and those without connections
to consider taking one and using it. SHG members can also build a case for sustained use,
by explaining how the time saved can be used for income generation. They can reach out to
households with LPG connections to discuss and understand the nature and extent of the
time saved as a result of LPG use, and can connect women with appropriate income-generat-
ing possibilities that could be leveraged during the time saved.
Availability: LPG distributors that currently deliver LPG cylinders to a local community point
(from where households usually access them), could instead deliver the cylinders to the SHG
member running the sub-distributorship. The distributor can deliver cylinders—based on the
sales at the SHG—once or twice in a fortnight. There will be a predetermined commission
for the SHG member for stocking the cylinders, interacting with households, and collecting
payments from them. This can be provided by the distributorship from the commission that it
receives for each cylinder. The commission would be mutually finalised between the SHG and
the distributor at the time of the contract.
Affordability: Households should be able to make staggered payments through the SHG
sub-distributorship. The SHG could accept payments on an ad hoc basis from the households.
SHGs’ microsavings and microcredit facilities would help to streamline cash flows for the
household and overcome the lumped cost issue with LPG refills.
The typical rural
LPG distributor
grapples with
low demand for
LPG refills 36Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
#LPG05 Stock small LPG cylinders with Kisan Seva Kendras and local shops in rural
areas
KSKs are low-cost retail outlets started by IOCL to cater to the needs of rural customers. They
also sell pesticides, vegetables, banking products, and stationery items. They could stock
up to twenty 5-kg cylinders, or several 2-kg cylinders, to facilitate better access to customers.
This would improve the visibility of LPG among customers who visit KSKs to purchase
agricultural inputs and equipment, and would improve the ease of purchase when required.
It could displace small cylinders that are sold and refilled by informal vendors.
#LPG06 Increase rural LPG coverage, and improve safety/security of warehousing and
retailing by enhancing skilling support for entrepreneurs and workers interested in
LPG distributorships
Promoting the sustained use of LPG requires the expansion of distribution networks,
especially in remote and rural areas. This in turn increases the demand for storage
warehousing related to distribution. Most of the players in the storage warehousing
industry are micro-, small-, and medium-scale entrepreneurs. Specialised warehousing
skill requirements for picking and stacking, and inventory management using warehouse
management systems, are also applicable to rural entrepreneurs involved in LPG
distribution. The National Skill Development Corporation under the Ministry of Skill
Development and Entrepreneurship is working with the MoPNG to improve skilling in LPG
distribution. Based on what has been learned from the existing work, this initiative could be
tested in rural areas.
5.2.3. Improve affordability for sustained use

Rural consumers are not a homogeneous group, and therefore the affordability of LPG varies
across and within states. For instance, in 2011–12, within the “top 30 per cent” category of
monthly per capita expenditure (MPCE) in rural Tamil Nadu, over 53 per cent of households
used LPG as their primary source of cooking energy, in comparison to a mere 12.6 per cent of
households in the same MPCE category in rural Odisha (Manjula and Gopi, 2017). In urban
Tamil Nadu and Odisha, however, similar proportions of urban households
24
in the top 30
per cent MPCE category used LPG as their primary fuel for cooking, whereas the figures vary
widely between Tamil Nadu’s middle 40 per cent and bottom 30 per cent MPCE categories.
25

A study conducted by CRISIL and the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell of MoPNG across
120 districts in 13 states revealed a strong correlation between median monthly household
income and expenditure on cooking fuel (CRISIL, 2016). As the monthly household income
increases, the propensity to collect cooking fuel decreases. At the highest level of monthly
income (more than INR 5,000), 74 per cent of rural households pay for their fuel, spending
about INR 391 per month. At the lowest level of monthly income (less than INR 2,500), 59
per cent of households purchased fuel. However, irrespective of income level, over 80 per
cent of households that did not use LPG reported high recurring costs as a barrier. Of the
households not using LPG in 2018, 83 per cent expressed interest in getting it. Over 60 per
cent of these interested households are willing to spend INR 300 or more a month (INR 450
or more in six weeks) to use LPG for all cooking needs (Jain et al., 2018).
24 72.5 per cent and 73.3 per cent respectively
25 Among the bottom 30 per cent MPCE category in urban areas, 60 per cent of Tamil Nadu house-
holds used LPG as primary source of cooking energy, and only 12.8 per cent did so in Odisha.
In 2016, over 80 per
cent of households
that did not use
LPG reported high
recurring costs as a
barrier 37
The upfront cost of getting a connection is also a critical bottleneck to the widespread
adoption of LPG. Although PMUY has addressed this to a great degree by making subsidised
connections available to the poorest households, it is important to appreciate that there
will still be many non-BPL households that will need support to obtain a connection. Such
households will benefit immensely from an equated monthly instalment (EMI)-based
connection fee.
#LPG07 Provide low-interest loans to households for LPG refills through SHGs, to
allow flexible payment plans and to promote the sustained use of LPG
To improve the affordability of LPG refills, a few donors have provided revolving loans at
low interest rates to support women in SHGs in paying for refills, with the goal of achieving
access to clean cooking energy for all. SHGs under the NRLM could support the purchase of
LPG cylinders by facilitating smaller pay-outs through group lending.
Similar models have been successful in various settings. For instance, Jagriti, an NGO
from Himachal Pradesh, employed a consumer finance approach through its women’s
savings and credit groups (WSCGs), to enable low-income households to use LPG and other
improved cooking technologies (Chandar and Tandon, 2004). In Cameroon, microfinance
institutions provide loans to support the purchase and initial refilling of LPG cylinders. In
Sudan, Practical Action established a revolving loan with start-up financing from Carbon
Clear, to provide carbon-financed loans that enable low-income and internally displaced
families in North Darfur to purchase efficient cookstoves and LPG. Managed by the Women’s
Development Association Network (WDAN), the fund allows local women to receive a loan
that covers the upfront costs of the LPG cylinder and cooking equipment, which can be
repaid in instalments over time. WDAN’s representatives are local community members
who are able to develop flexible payment plans that meet the specific circumstances of each
grantee. As the loans are repaid the money is invested back into the fund and can be loaned
to other women. The loan fund has revolved 20 times in this manner since 2008, enabling
long-term benefits (GACC, 2016).
Prepaid subsidy vouchers that can be cashed in during the purchase of cylinders could
also help in easing payments for households. Many may find it convenient to pay a smaller
amount in cash to buy a cylinder, and would benefit from vouchers that reduce their out-of-
pocket cash expenditure. Most rural households in India continue to find it difficult to pay
INR 700-800 in one instalment for LPG.
#LPG08 Promote innovation and bulk procurement of pay-as-you-go smart valves for
LPG cylinders
Pay-as-you-go technologies for LPG, where cylinders are fitted with smart valves, are being
tried with some success in Africa largely due to the wide penetration of mobile money.
The Indian Government’s push towards digital payments could be leveraged to enable
discrete payments for LPG consumption. However, the cost of the smart valve to support
this technology is prohibitive. Reducing the cost of this technology in order to improve its
scalability is essential.
SHGs could support
the purchase of
LPG cylinders by
facilitating smaller
pay-outs through
group lending
Fuel-specific Strategies for Improving Access to Clean Cooking Energy 38Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
5.3. Improved biomass cookstoves
NITI Aayog (2014) projects that in 2047, under the rather optimistic ‘Determined Effort
Scenario’, 20 per cent of rural households will still be reliant on biomass for cooking.
Historical evidence suggests that households continue to use traditional biomass despite
access to LPG; it is clear that it takes households a considerable amount of time to shift from
the exclusive use of the traditional chulha to the exclusive use of LPG for cooking. Therefore,
it is important to find approaches that enable the safe use of traditional biomass in order
to reduce the public health burden of HAP. The use of improved biomass cookstoves (ICS)
is one such approach—it could complement LPG in meeting the rural household’s need for
cleaner cooking energy.
However, less than one per cent of rural households surveyed by Jain et al. (2018) reported
using ICS. Only 14 per cent of households were aware of their existence, indicating low
awareness among non-users. The sustained use of ICS will depend on user satisfaction (GIZ,
2014; Lambe and Atteridge, 2012). The National Programme on Improved Chulhas (NPIC),
the first policy to support ICS, introduced 35 million chulhas between 1986 and 2002 (MNES,
2004). Unnat Chulha Abhiyan (UCA) was initiated to provide subsidies ranging from INR
300–800 per ICS. The UCA was launched in 2014 with the aim of deploying 2.75 million ICS
by March 2017 and a budget of INR 294 crore (MNRE, 2014b). However, an official at the
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and associated with UCA confirmed that the
scheme had met only 1.3 per cent of its target by March 2017, with much of the budget having
lapsed unutilised. Without a subsidy, an ICS costs between INR 1,200 (natural-draft) and INR
4,500 (forced-draft). Locally manufactured, cheaper models are also available for less than
INR 1,000, but are not as efficient or durable.
In recent years, the government’s policies on clean cooking energy have favoured increased
penetration of LPG in rural areas over other alternatives. This could perhaps stem from
people’s aspirations and preference for LPG as well the lack of a robust alternative (like
biogas or ICS) that is not only convenient for the consumer, but also affordable and durable.
However, owing to the mismatch between the requirements of rural families and the
availability and affordability of modern clean energy solutions, fuel stacking, fuel stacking
is predominant among rural households. Thus, alternative, complementary clean cooking
solutions are necessary to eliminate the use of solid biomass. With the launch of PMUY,
households are more likely to transition towards a cleaner suite of cooking solutions.
However, for this to happen, policy planning must give other solutions due support, not
just within the concerned ministry, but also in the national discourse on clean cooking
energy. Government schemes on LPG, cookstoves, and biogas should be communicated as
complementary and non-competing. A supportive policy environment will include a greater
focus on technology development, stricter quality standards, and awareness drives to
increase usage; it can nurture an ecosystem that supports entrepreneurs who provide quality
services to the user.

5.3.1. Research and development
#ICS01 Invest in R&D of ICS to improve their resilience/longevity, efficiency, safety,
and user convenience to bring their on-field emissions within WHO safe limits (Tier 4)
The primary focus of the sector should be on improving the design and quality of cookstoves
for greater efficiency and convenience. This requires government grants to improve
infrastructure such as labs to test new technologies. While practitioners have made efforts to
Supportive policies
will include a
greater focus
on technology
development,
stricter quality
standards, and
awareness drives
to increase usage 39
The government
must also
encourage the
use of Tier 3 ICS
equipped with
chimneys for
adequate ventilation
improve the efficiency and affordability of cookstoves, the design and convenience aspects
have been ignored. The International Workshops Agreement (IWA) framework by ISO rates
cookstoves on four indicators—efficiency, indoor emissions, total emissions, and safety,
each along five tiers. To meet the WHO guidelines for indoor air quality, a cookstove must at
least fulfil the requirements for Tier 4 in emissions and efficiency. Most stoves sold in India
are Tier 2 or 3—they offer efficiency of 25–30 per cent, while Tier 4 stoves offer efficiency
greater than 45 per cent. Therefore, significant investment in R&D is necessary in order to
improve the quality of ICS. However, Tier 4 cookstoves also face challenges in fuel supply
and standardisation. Some Tier 4 stoves need standardised pellets. In India, the biomass
available through the year varies in quality; standardising pellets manufactured through
a decentralised production system is a challenge. Therefore, the government must also
encourage the use of Tier 3 stoves equipped with chimneys for adequate ventilation. Studies
have shown that various forms of ventilation reduce exposure to indoor smoke and the
particulate matter concentration in households (Majdan et al., 2015).
The MNRE’s allocation under the UCA for establishing test centres, R&D capacity-building,
and after-sales service was only INR 12 crores. Furthermore, there are only five testing
facilities for the certification of any new cookstoves, some of which are not perennially
functional, resulting in undue delays for manufacturers. Thus far, enterprises have relied on
grants from donors and the government to support R&D to improve the design and efficiency
of cookstoves while reducing their cost.
Investments in R&D for ICS could be championed by the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)
and Self-Employment and Talent Utilisation (SETU) programmes, as they provide platforms
that incubate and support innovators to become entrepreneurs. Incubation centres under
the AIM could be used to nurture start-up businesses looking to manufacture efficient and
affordable cookstoves. Collaborations with global and Indian companies skilled at designing
efficient combustion systems could add significant value to the design thinking required to
address the challenge of engineering an efficient cookstove that meets WHO standards on
indoor air quality.
#ICS02 Invest in R&D infrastructure, including laboratories for the testing of various
models
The Ministry of Science and Technology could facilitate cross-learning across countries
through partnerships with cookstove manufacturers in countries that have built successful
designs. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has developed a multi-
fuel cookstove, albeit with limited commercialisation (CSIR, 2017). A collaboration between
government labs and the private sector could help integrate R&D costs and create a bigger
pool of shared resources for developing a better cookstove. The private sector could also
leverage this opportunity to commercialise existing technology at government labs. Some
successful designs can be made available in the public domain and promoted to encourage
entrepreneurs to replicate and scale the product while maintaining affordability.
#ICS03 Mandate that testing centres provide detailed lab reports on ICS to
manufacturers instead of the current “pass/fail” report
To better support innovations in the sector, testing centres need to be more efficient and have
shorter turnarounds. Delays in acquiring certification is expensive for businesses, most of
whom operate with limited operating budgets and cannot afford any delays in the delivery
of their products to the market. The testing centres should provide a detailed report on
how the cookstove can be improved, instead of just a pass or fail statement. In addition, all
cookstoves must be checked to ensure that they meet a minimum standard before reaching
the market.
Fuel-specific Strategies for Improving Access to Clean Cooking Energy 40Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
#ICS04 Mandate on-field testing in the certification process of cookstoves
Many cookstoves perform adequately in laboratory conditions but fail to meet consumer
needs in practice. Therefore, field-based testing is necessary to ensure that the cookstoves
are reliable and durable outside of laboratory conditions. The testing protocol should
enforce the same standards for quality and durability for cookstoves as any other consumer
durable in the market.
#ICS05 Make the labelling of energy efficiency and emissions on ICS mandatory; push
the industry to improve their efficiency
In addition to increasing the number of test centres, the MNRE should lay down simpler yet
higher standards for the testing and certification of cookstoves. Labelling cookstoves with
their efficiency and emission rating, as with LPG stoves and other consumer durables, will
aid customer awareness and help them pick stoves of the right quality. ICS manufacturers
should be encouraged to make known the uses that the stove is best suited for, such as
making rotis, heating water, etc. This will help the consumer decide on whether to purchase
the product based on its utility. If a household has had a bad experience with a poor-quality
cookstove or due to uncommunicated expectations, such clear labelling could change their
perception of the product entirely. These efforts would bolster the sales of genuine players
who provide better quality ICS.
#ICS06 Mandate empanelled enterprises to provide warranties on ICS for at least as
long as the loan repayment period
A product warranty is a strong factor that could influence the acquisition and retention
of customers. However, if the warranty period is lesser than the loan period, defaults in
payments are more likely, following the breakdown of the product. If the cost of repairing
the product is high, then customers will shy away from incurring the additional expenditure
and may even discontinue using the stove. If cookstove manufacturers offer extended
replacement and repair warranties, at least to cover the loan repayment period, there will be
increased trust in the product and in the ecosystem. The manufacturers empanelled under
the MNRE could be mandated to extend their warranties to cover the loan tenure.
5.3.2. Improve the capacity of national and local agencies
#ICS07 Create scope in policy for better capacity-building of state- and national-level
implementation agencies
The technology and business landscapes are evolving at such a rapid pace that there is
increased pressure on the state to leverage evolving technologies for use in governance.
While some ministries have adapted to such changes well, others are yet to make the
transition. Key decision makers need to be regularly updated on improvements in ICS
technology and business models so they can promote the latest models in rural markets.
The state nodal agencies (SNAs) should be provided the requisite training and incentives in
conjunction with the support and funds they need to contract services such as monitoring
and evaluation, complementary their efforts. This is already encouraged by the newer
policies such as the New National Biogas and Organic Manure Management Programme
(NNBOMP). The servicing and maintenance of cookstoves is extremely vital to their
sustained use—it is therefore essential to improve the abilities of the concerned state- and
district-level agencies. When cookstoves are sourced under government schemes, it is
important that the procuring agency has the capacity to vet the technical quality of the
Labelling cookstoves
with their efficiency
and emissions rating
will aid customer
awareness 41
stoves and educate users of the protocol to be followed for their operation and maintenance.
This calls for larger budgets for capacity-building and more focused policy attention—as
is the case of LPG. Currently, the cookstoves disseminated under various schemes are not
monitored for sustained use or guaranteed maintenance services. SNAs need to be trained to
approach clean cooking solutions holistically, so that they can establish the complementary
role of cookstoves in the movement towards access to clean cooking energy for all.
5.3.3. Create and support a market for pellets
Tier 4 cookstoves need standardised fuels, such as pellets, to optimise efficiency and reduce
emissions. For these cookstoves to be viable, a reliable supply of pellets and briquettes at
affordable prices is needed. The draft NEP has emphasised R&D to improve the efficiency
of biomass cookstoves and gas stoves, coupled with investment in the manufacture of
pelletised biomass as fuels. Biomass pellets can offer about 30–50 per cent greater efficiency
than solid biomass. However, biomass pellets have an expensive supply chain. The cost of
a pellet-manufacturing machine alone is around INR 7 lakhs, which is a high upfront cost
for small-scale manufacturers, who suggest that decentralised pellet manufacturing can
reduce pellet costs by a third
26
. Agro and forest residue surplus is estimated to increase by
16 per cent by 2030, creating opportunities to expand pellet production for cooking energy
and electricity (Purohit and Chaturvedi, 2016). About 2 kg of pellets per day are required to
meet the cooking needs of a household of four to five members. The cost of pellets ranges
from INR 10–15 per kilogram, translating to a monthly expenditure of INR 600–900. An
established supply chain with regular customers is essential to bring down the cost of
pellets. We discuss below some strategies to improve the availability of pellets and make
them affordable.
#ICS08 Support rural entrepreneurs/self-help groups (SHGs) through preferential
loans and capital subsidies for the production and distribution of pellets/briquettes
The MoRD could involve SHGs in the production and distribution of pellets as a means of
generating a livelihood. Pellet manufacturing and distribution could be a regular, revenue-
26 Primary interviews with stakeholders.
FIGURE 6: Biomass pellets for cooking
Image: iStock
Fuel-specific Strategies for Improving Access to Clean Cooking Energy 42Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
based model for women that will improve both availability and affordability. SHGs in many
parts of India have been running successful businesses for several years. Funds from the
National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) and SHG lending could help finance the initial
costs of setting up the manufacturing facility. In addition, the integration of women into the
value chain of clean cooking energy solutions could improve the awareness—and hence the
demand—for these solutions. The Skill Council of Green Jobs (SCGJ) could also train SHG
members in the production and distribution of pellets, the MNRE and MoRD could subsidise
training costs for SHGs.
#ICS09 Pilot various business models of pelletisation
While the affordability of pellets is a challenge, mass manufacture with the intention of
selling to local industries and restaurants has helped reduce costs by leveraging economies
of scale. Businesses have paid a marginal premium for the product and thus subsidise the
cost for households. MNRE could support such business models by providing cheap capital
to local entrepreneurs who wish to enter the sector. In addition, they could explore a barter
model for households that cannot afford to pay for fuel. Such households can trade their
firewood for pellets—still better in thermal efficiency than the firewood—and use them for
cooking. The local pellet manufacturer can collect the wood from each household and, in
return, provide them with pellets. Such a model does not reduce the drudgery of collection,
but it could considerably reduce indoor air pollution. Other public schemes, such as the
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), could also be
leveraged to collect discarded biomass for a price.
The policy should allocate funds towards a few such pilots. These pilots could be conducted
at the village or district level to test and modify the business model as needed. This would
allow pellet manufacturers and cookstove manufacturers and distributors to work together
and strengthen the ecosystem for both cookstoves and biomass pellets.
#ICS10 Provide subsidised training in pellet manufacturing and ICS manufacturing,
assembling, and marketing to local entrepreneurs and workers
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship can play a crucial role in enabling
rural youth to become entrepreneurs who manufacture and sell pellets locally. The SCGJ is
the nodal agency for skilling; it prepares occupational maps for each sector to identify job
roles along the value chain as well as qualification packages with details on the training
material needed for the specified job role.
It has four qualification packs on biomass
cookstoves, including the assembly,
distribution, and maintenance of ICS. The
SCGJ could also train local youth to run
manufacturing units for pellets. The two
parts of the value chain—the collection of
firewood from households and the industrial
production, and the sale of pellets—open
up opportunities for job creation, even in
remote areas. It will also be necessary for
entrepreneurs to collaborate with regional
rural banks to facilitate loans under Pradhan
Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY). The MNRE
and MoRD could subsidise training costs for
these village-level entrepreneurs (VLEs).
FIGURE 7: A Biomass pellet-manufacturing machine
Businesses
could pay a
premium for
pellets and help
cross-subsidise
the cost for
households
Image: IFDC Photography, flickr 43
5.3.4. Improve the financial ecosystem
#ICS11 Sensitise bank professionals to lend to empanelled ICS enterprises to ease their
working capital requirements
It is important to sensitise bank professionals to lend to empanelled ICS enterprises to ease
their working capital requirements. Entrepreneurs who have acquired working capital loans
from commercial banks emphasise the need to sensitise banks to improve access to credit.
A study by the Clean Energy Access Network (CLEAN) highlights that “inadequate balance
sheet data” and an “insufficient company track record” are the most common criteria for
the rejection of loan applications by clean energy enterprises (CLEAN 2017). However, bank
officials’ lack of knowledge on the technical and quality aspects of ICS also limits their
ability to make accurate lending decisions, in case of companies who are able to show the
necessary data and track record. Training institutes such as the Bankers Institute of Rural
Development (BIRD) could be leveraged to inform relevant loan officers on a regular basis.
5.4. Biogas
There were about five million individual and community-level biogas plants in India as
of 2016, against an estimated potential of 12.3 million (MNRE, 2017). Many of them were
installed as part of the National Biogas and Manure Management Programme (NBMMP)
launched in 2002–03, earlier known as National Project on Biogas Development. Beginning
2018–19, the New National Biogas and Organic Manure Programme has succeeded the
NBMMP as the primary biogas scheme in the country, albeit with a scaled down target of
installing at least 0.25 million plants by 2019-20 (MNRE, 2018a). The MNRE sets annual
targets for SNAs to deploy biogas plants through pre-approved vendors across the country.
Biogas has additional value in comparison to most clean energy alternatives because
it is also a method of waste management, be it animal, human, or food waste. It allows
communities to be energy independent, as the quantity and quality of the output is entirely
dependent on the use and maintenance practices of the plant users. Despite having had
government support by way of central government schemes for almost four decades, the
entire value chain of biogas faces several critical challenges. Each of these is detailed below
along with strategies to alleviate them.
5.4.1. Research and development
#BGS01 Provide grants for the promotion of new technologies that are less effort
intensive and/or more efficient
Between 2007 and 2011, the MNRE sanctioned about INR 8 crores for R&D in biogas, of
which 50 per cent was allotted for the production of biofuels (MNRE 2018). The government
should consider increasing its allocations to new entrepreneurs who seek to improve process
efficiency and biogas packaging. The Department of Science and Technology (DST) and
the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) could assist the MNRE in supporting
entrepreneurs’ research in this area.
Fuel-specific Strategies for Improving Access to Clean Cooking Energy 44Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
#BGS02 Invest in R&D to develop double-burner
stoves that can use LPG and biogas
There is a need for R&D on the possibility of developing
a single-burner stove that can burn using both biogas
and LPG. Perhaps the construction could include an
outer ring that supplies one fuel while the inner ring
supplies the other. Research efforts to this end should
also consider whether such a stove will be compatible
with existing utensils. An alternative to this two-ring
burner could be stove burners that can mix gaseous
fuels before ignition. The development and lab and field
testing of these models requires government support as
well as the help of technical institutes.

5.4.2. Testing business models
#BGS03 Allow subsidies for prefabricated biogas
plants
The dominant model of procuring state-subsidised
biogas plants is to get them from one of the MNRE’s
approved vendors. This affects the pace of deployment
because vendors have to install the pre-approved fixed
dome “deenbandhu”, a family-type plant, through
a labour-intensive process. Prefabricated plants, on
the other hand, are far quicker to assemble, as they
require very little on-site preparation and labour.
However, in order to scale up their use, the operational
and economic viability of these plants need to be
assessed, support by appropriate access to subsidies.
The inclusion of prefabricated biogas plants in the new
scheme (MNRE, 2018a) may unlock the potential of
biogas by standardising conditions for scalability.
#BGS04 Pilot enterprise-based models for biogas-as-a-service, and offer incentives,
such as cheaper loans, to rural biogas entrepreneurs
The new scheme on biogas – NNBOMP - has emphasised on the entrepreneurship model
and involvement of SHGs to allow for comprehensive biogas services, including installation
to maintenance services. In addition, there is also a need to explore models in which biogas
plants are owned and operated by entrepreneurs, and households pay a monthly fee for
the biogas supply. The entrepreneur manages the upfront payment for the construction and
the hassle of cleaning and maintaining the plant with regular feedstock. Since these are
the predominant reasons for non-adoption and dissatisfaction with biogas, such a biogas-
as-service model may help alleviate these issues to position it as an attractive clean energy
alternative. The biogas-as-a-service model must also explore piped supply to households,
who can then pay for the gas they use for cooking. NNBOMP also provides an additional
subsidy for farmers/ dairy farmers for setting up plants of bigger size from 10 m
3
to 25 m
3
, to
save their diesel and electricity bills. An extension of such a model could allow gaushalas
(cow shelters) to own and operate biogas plants that would provide cooking gas for a
consumption-based fee to nearby households.
When biogas is
provided as a
service by an
entrepreneur,
households need
not take on the
hassle of operating,
cleaning and
maintaining the
plant
FIGURE 9: A Pre-fabricated biogas plant
FIGURE 8: Single-burner biogas stove
Image: Saurabh Tripathi/CEEW
Image: Saurabh Tripathi/CEEW 45
Enterprise-run biogas models further stand to benefit from the use of slurry as an organic
enriched bio-manure in agriculture; the sale of bio-slurry in the market can provide
an additional source of revenue to households. Market research should be conducted
to estimate the demand for slurry and to design appropriate business models and
communication strategies for farmers. The MNRE should provide more incentives to Biogas
Development and Training Centres (BDTCs) for research on biogas slurry utilisation, given
its potential for commercialisation. BDTCs should lead the pilot demonstrations of the
new models as envisaged under the new scheme. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s
Welfare could support the energy ministries in drafting a credible business model around the
utilisation of biogas slurry in farms.
#BGS05 Invest in R&D to reduce the cost of biogas bottling and packaging
Bottled biogas is yet another potential means of improving adoption. Like LPG, biogas can
be generated, packaged, and supplied locally to households at a fixed price. As part of its
Research, Design, Development, and Demonstration policy, since 2007–08, MNRE has taken
initiative in demonstrating medium-size, mixed-feed biogas fertiliser plants (BGFP) for
the generation, purification, enrichment, bottling, and piped distribution of biogas. In the
demonstration phase, the ministry has sanctioned central financial assistance (CFA) of up to
50 per cent of the cost (excluding that of land) for the implementation of a limited number
of such entrepreneurial projects on a reimbursement basis. So far, the MNRE has sanctioned
over INR 14 crore across 14 projects, half of which are under trial (MNRE, 2018b). While the
technology is yet to be vetted, some enterprises in India are exploring bottling biogas for
household use as a business model. Owing to the cost of bottling, this has so far been limited
to bottling bio-CNG for commercial use.
FIGURE 10: Community biogas plant
Image: Saurabh Tripathi/CEEW
Fuel-specific Strategies for Improving Access to Clean Cooking Energy 46Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
5.4.3. Generating awareness
There is a twofold need for consumer awareness of biogas: first, some households have never
heard of biogas being used as a cooking energy technology; second, others have a negative
perception of the technology. Despite the MNRE allocating funds towards raising awareness
of biogas under NBMMP, Jain et al. (2018) estimate that about 62 per cent of households
had never heard of biogas for cooking. The messaging around household-level biogas must
be strengthened, so that the technology appears as aspirational as LPG to the typical rural
household.
#BGS06 Organise demonstrations that illustrate the experience of using biogas by
outlining the differences between modern biogas plants and traditional chulhas, as
well as older models of biogas
The communications and publicity strategy should highlight specific aspects of the
technology: energy independence and security, low recurring costs in comparison to other
gas-based solutions, and household and animal waste management. Comparing it with
traditional chulhas could highlight the ease of use. Biogas could also be promoted by
linking it with income-generating activities such as food preservation, drying, and other
such household-level food processing—if their economics works out better than other clean
cooking fuels.
Many households that have heard of biogas hold a negative perception of the technology
primarily because they believe that biogas “does not work” or that it “breaks down
easily”. These narratives stem from the high rate of non-functionality among biogas
plants constructed during the 1990s and early 2000s under NBMMP (CAG, 2015). For such
households, awareness campaigns must include a technology demonstration to visually
differentiate modern biogas plants from the kind that were installed previously.
5.4.4. Strengthen the skill-development ecosystem for better
installations and after-sales service
It is imperative that there be a skilled workforce primed to aid the development of the
biogas sector. There is a need to formally skill people at different stages of the biogas value
chain—from R&D and manufacturing to distribution and awareness generation. This could
be improved through the biogas-as-a-service model that incentivises entrepreneurs to
provide continued after-sales services. The current scheme allows BDTCs to upgrade the
existing training programmes based on feedback from implementing agencies. The ‘Biogas
Mitras’ trained by the BDTCs should be connected to the biogas enterprises that are looking
for skilled employees to improve the job opportunities for trainees and reduce the cost of
training and recruitment for the enterprises. This could also improve the local availability of
services, if the selection of trainees is customised by region and the incentives are aligned
appropriately.
#BGS07 Provide subsidised training in manufacturing, marketing, and maintenance
to local entrepreneurs and workers; and in plant operation to users
While SCGJ has helped in formalising the training ecosystem, it is crucial to initiate and
sustain the demand for formal job roles along the value chain of the fuel. Under the NBMMP,
the incentives for turnkey workers to carry out regular operations and maintenance (O&M)
were not lucrative. In the NNBOMP, although the turnkey fee has been increased from
Demonstration of
modern biogas
plants is required
to visually
differentiate them
from the earlier
ones that had a
high rate of non-
functionality 47
It is important
to train users to
operate biogas
plants in a manner
that minimises the
need for O&M
A centralised
toll-free helpline
could be useful for
people to lodge
complaints
INR 1,500 to INR 2,500 for fixed-dome plants, and extended to larger plants of 15–25m
3

size, there is a need for assessments to ascertain if the new fee is lucrative enough (MNRE,
2014b; MNRE, 2018b). It is important that critical nodes in the value chain, such as turnkey
workers, be incentivised adequately under the SNA approach or the enterprise model to
take up roles within the business ecosystem of biogas. In addition to providing appropriate
economic incentives, training centres could look to subsidise training for rural clean
cooking entrepreneurs and workers under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya
Yojana (DDU-GKY). DDU-GKY is a key skills-training programme by the MoRD that focuses
on rural youth, aged 15 to 35 years, from poor families. It supports DDU-GKY partners
through investments, capacity-building, strategies for retention, linkages for placement,
and technology assistance for training purposes. Under DDU-GKY, State Skill Development
Missions can train rural youth to become clean energy entrepreneurs. The lower training
fees will encourage greater participation in the sector’s activities. Village-level entrepreneurs
can provide installation and repair services for biogas plants. The skilling of workers alone
would not suffice, as it is important to build capacity through entrepreneurs who would
absorb the skilled workforce.
To ensure that biogas plants run smoothly, it is important to train users to operate them in
a manner that minimises the need for maintenance. Biogas distributors should ensure that
the main user of the plant is trained thoroughly on the kind of feedstock to use and how
and when to clean the plant. In some cases, while the training is given to the men in the
household, it is the often the women who are responsible for maintaining the plant (Raha,
Mahanta, and Clarke, 2014). Hence, the primary operators of the plants should be trained.
5.4.5. Streamline easy operation and maintenance for existing
biogas plants
Almost all stakeholders articulated O&M as the single biggest challenge in the scaling
of biogas across the country. So far, even though five million plants have been installed,
a significant proportion are non-functional, in many cases due to construction-related
problems and poor maintenance. A biogas plant can be a long-term cooking energy
investment for households if it is operated well and maintained regularly.
#BGS08 Start a helpline for households to report breakdowns and guarantee the time
frame for the repair
There needs to be an emphasis on after-sales services. Many plant owners are not aware of
whom they should approach if the plant were to break down, and they are not trained to
fix the problem themselves. In such cases, the plant becomes defunct due to negligence. A
centralised toll-free helpline could be useful for people to lodge complaints regarding their
biogas plants. It would help in tracking reports of faults and breakdowns, and the rate at
which complaints are being answered and addressed. The data on breakdowns collected by
such a system would help SNAs devise appropriate strategies to resolve O&M issues in biogas
systems.
Fuel-specific Strategies for Improving Access to Clean Cooking Energy 48Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
Where best to deploy biogas
For biogas use to be sustainable, it is important to ensure the regular availability of feedstock
and maintenance. Ideally, these plants should be deployed in areas where feedstock is readily
available. One method would be to map the cattle population using the livestock census.
Where biogas is concerned, entrepreneurs should prioritise consumers in areas with a large
cattle population. Other requirements, such as the availability of water and labour to feed the
plant on a regular basis, should also be considered. Ultimately, it would be useful to assess
the requirement for biogas against several use-case scenarios—such as hours spent cooking,
number of meals, and proportion of households using biogas—at the village level, and map it
against the daily availability of wet dung in the village.
It is worth noting that biogas from food waste can be used for cooking in urban areas, either
as piped or bottled gas. This can help solve the urban waste management problem, reduce
urban demand for LPG and PNG, and make biogas use aspirational in rural areas. In urban
areas, many large restaurants are already using biogas generated from food waste as an ad-
ditional source of income (PTI, 2017). This can be scaled to larger restaurants across all cities
and towns. Where appropriate, residential welfare associations can supply piped biogas from
food waste to their localities. However, adequate incentives must be introduced for biogas
to compete with LPG and PNG in urban areas, keeping in view their degree of import depen-
dence. The incentives should also focus on both convenience of use and economic viability.
For instance, lightweight bag digesters,
27
which are easy to install and use, will have a higher
likelihood of adoption than plants, which need construction.
5.4.6. Ecosystem for finance
There are two main gaps in the financing ecosystem for biogas. First, entrepreneurs must
have easy access to private capital for business needs. Second, the poorest households must
be able to secure loans to finance the upfront cost of the plants.
#BGS09 Sensitise financial institutions and other investors to the newest business
models in biogas and related technologies
Most of the entrepreneurs we spoke to stated that while they receive grants and donations for
their businesses from foundations and multilateral agencies, they are unable to secure debt
or equity from larger private players, investors, and banks; this stifles their growth severely
due to investors’ lack of faith in the long-term sustainability of the technology, perhaps
owing to the high rate of non-functionality of existing plants. As newer models emerge, it
will be important to gain the confidence of financiers. NNBOMP now directs scheduled/
public sector banks, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD),
and the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) to set certain minimum
targets for their branches to disburse loans under Green Loans for Biogas and Organic
Manure Service (GLBOMS). However, to fully enable this transition for financiers, it would
be useful to have a communications strategy that can sensitise financiers to the newest
business models and technologies in biogas. Loans towards biogas must be accommodated
under priority sector lending to benefit a greater number of entrepreneurs. It is important to
sensitise both bankers and households to the possibilities of end-user financing.
27 Lightweight bag digesters are flexi-biogas systems that use balloon or tube digesters constructed
from polyethylene or plastic bags. They are cheaper, use less material, can be set up in a single
day, require less manure to start up, and convert waste into energy more quickly.
There is a need
to sensitise
financiers to the
newest business
models and
technologies in
biogas 49
#BGS10 Improve ease of access to consumer finance for biogas
Plugging the gap in end-user financing will help generate sustainable demand for biogas.
The cost of setting up a household biogas plant is steep (approximately INR 20,000 for
1m
3
), despite the state subsidy of INR 7,500—17,000 (MNRE, 2018b). Despite the availability
of loans for households who are unable to afford the upfront cost, bank officers and
households are often unaware that they can secure a loan. Moreover, commercial banks
charge interest rates at 12% and above and require collateral that can only be provided by
high-income households, thereby limiting access.
28
It is then in the interest of the SNAs to
sensitise both parties to the possibilities of end-user financing.
Even in the absence of loans for end users, the MNRE could consider introducing EMIs for
poor households who may prefer to pay in small instalments instead of one steep lump sum.
Likewise, it would be more useful to disburse subsidies for biogas plants in instalments over
the period of construction, as opposed to one pay-out at the end of the construction period,
since the latter might limit access for many financially weak families.
#BGS11 Involve agricultural finance institutions in supporting biogas plants
Cooperative dairies could provide loans to their members—small and marginal farmers.
These dairies can secure loans or funds from banks to install the plants at the premises of
interested members; they can adjust the instalments for the setting up cost against milk bills
on a regular basis. Further, other interlinked schemes under MoAFW such as the ‘Organic
Farming Mission’ and now Dairy Entrepreneurship Development Scheme could be leveraged
to improve the affordability of biogas plants (MNRE, 2018a). Access to loans for biogas could
also be improved by allocating a fixed amount on the Kisan Credit Card (KCC), as proposed to
the MoAFW and NABARD in the new scheme. In the past, NABARD has explored synergies
in their existing programmes for such loans. For instance, it supported mini dairy units
between 2013 and 2016 under the Umbrella Programme on Natural Resource Management
(UPNRM) for livelihood enhancement. It facilitated term loans (INR 18.6 million) and grants
(INR 1.3 million) for about 600 on-farm biogas plants to provide energy for cooking and
mobilised subsidies for biogas and cattle insurance (NABARD, 2016).
5.5. Piped Natural Gas
Towns across 400 districts of the country now implement or plan to launch piped natural gas
(PNG). The government aims to scale up PNG to make it the predominant source of cooking
energy in urban areas. As India moves towards a gas-based economy, aiming to meet 15
per cent of its primary energy demands through natural gas by 2030, PNG has emerged an
important component of this plan. The projected demand for PNG in 2030, as estimated by
the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), is 44.67 million standard cubic
feet per day (MMSCMD) up from the existing sales and supply of 8.57 MMSCMD in 2016–17
29
.
This will entail investment in additional capacities for pipelines and distribution networks,
and in gas infrastructure, including the addition of cities to the existing city gas distribution
(CGD) network. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports in India have more than doubled
between 2007–08 and 2017–18. As of 2018, there are about 4 million domestic customers of
LNG, with the majority in Delhi, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. The target is to reach 10 million
customers by 2020 (Pathak, 2018a). While the power sector drives the maximum demand
for LNG, CGD is expected to register the fastest growth and contribute 11 per cent of the total
demand for natural gas by 2030 (Enincon, 2017).
28 Primary interviews with stakeholders.
29 Derived from the overall projection for city gas, using the existing proportion of 52.25% (2016–17
sales) for PNG.
Fuel-specific Strategies for Improving Access to Clean Cooking Energy 50Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
Credit-linked
instalment
mechanisms
can allow for a
more inclusive
customer base
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
2018-19*2017-182016-172015-162014-152013-142012-132011-12
FIGURE 11: Imports of LNG in India increased by 241% between 2011-12 and 2018-19
*Figures provisional for 2018–19
Source: PPAC, 2019b
#PNG01 Credited-linked instalments for PNG connections
One of the challenges that restricts the expansion of PNG is the prohibitively high connection
cost—INR 5,000—that makes it unaffordable for the urban poor. Credit-linked instalment
mechanisms can allow for a more inclusive customer base. The Government of Gujarat offers
subsidised PNG to BPL households—it pays INR 1,600 as a one-time subsidy per connection
and provides INR 1,725 as a loan to customers who opt for a new connection. The beneficiary
then pays INR 118 for a new connection and a refundable security deposit of INR 50 per
month for a period of 100 months (Pathak, 2018b)(Pathak 2018). Other parts of the country
can also experiment with such a scheme to increase access to PNG.
#PNG02 Adoption of prepaid metres that allow recurring payments of smaller
amounts
The recurring cost of the gas might also be a challenge for BPL households. Hence, there
is a need to explore different payment plans whereby the urban poor can make smaller
payments at a specified frequency. Adopting prepaid meters that allow recurring payments
of smaller amounts can improve the affordability of PNG for low-income urban and peri-
urban households.
#PNG03 Prevent households from having both LPG and PNG connections
It is equally important to prevent leakages in the ecosystem by ensuring that households
with PNG connections give up their existing LPG connections. This would also help improve
the availability of LPG in rural areas.
#PNG04 Decentralise the supply and distribution of LNG
The cost of pipeline construction can be significant in hilly terrain. CGD companies also face
challenges in finding clear land to lay distribution pipelines (Sircar, Sahajpal, and Yadav
2017). This could be resolved by exploring decentralised distribution models for peri-urban
and rural areas along the same lines as microgrids for electricity. 51
#PNG05 Manage the profitability of CGDs through a healthy balance of import and
domestic LNG
The pricing of PNG is currently regulated by the pricing formula
30
adopted by the government
in 2014. Its supply is controlled through the Gas Utilisation Policy, which prioritises sectors
that produce gas domestically—one of which is CGD. However, companies have expressed
concern that the financial incentives provided under this policy are insufficient for meeting
investments in exploration and production. Imported LNG is available at significantly
higher prices than domestically produced LNG, and has implications on the profitability
of CGD companies. Furthermore, the global shift in LNG prices could adversely affect
the affordability of PNG if the government were to stop prioritised access to domestically
produced gas.
5.6. Solar-based cooking
The MNRE has supported solar-based cooking solutions—such as solar steam cooking
systems, dish-type solar cookers, and parabolic solar cookers—for households through
capital subsidies. Approximately 3,737 solar cookers were sanctioned for sale and
distribution in 2016–17 (MNRE, 2017). They can attain temperatures of about 350 to 400
degrees Celsius, which can support roasting, frying, and boiling. However, the challenges
associated with solar cookers include the limited duration of cooking, intermittency of
sunlight, and the need to place the cooker outside the household. Solar thermal cookers,
therefore, do not offer the convenience and reliability of other clean cooking energy
solutions; they can only play a supportive role owing to the intermittency of sunlight and the
other limitations of the technology.
#SOL01 R&D to improve the efficiency and affordability of solar thermal/electric
cooking
Solar-based cooking offers higher thermal efficiency and convenience to households that
are dependent on the traditional chulha. The technology is at a nascent stage and requires
significant investment in research and development. The DST and the National Institute of
Solar Energy (NISE), an autonomous institute under the MNRE, could play an important
role in the development of solar-powered thermal and electric cooking solutions. While the
ministry has been supporting upstream research on solar applications including storage
devices, solar thermal technologies, and solar energy materials under the Clean Energy
Research Initiative, there is potential to focus on solar-powered cooking technologies
that can be efficiently designed to suit cooking conditions in India. Through the Mission
Innovation challenges, the DST has encouraged innovation in off-grid access to electricity,
carbon capture, sustainable biofuels, and affordable heating and cooling of buildings. It
could launch similar challenges for solar-powered cooking solutions. NISE could look to
expand its solar thermal research to include cooking applications and, specifically, their
efficiency and affordability.
#SOL02 Improve terms of patents and prizes in competitions to allow serious
entrepreneurs to apply
Prizes at energy innovation-themed competitions can be very rewarding for entrepreneurs.
In a recent effort, the Oil and Natural Corporation Limited (ONGC) launched an innovation
30 The new formula calculates the prices using the weighted average rates of Henry Hub of the US,
National Balancing Point of the UK, and rates in Alberta (Canada) and Russia, with a lag of one
quarter.
Fuel-specific Strategies for Improving Access to Clean Cooking Energy 52Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
challenge to design a solar chulha. The winner was awarded prize money of INR 10 lakhs
along with financial support for the fabrication of 1,000 units that would be procured for
demonstration in different regions. However, while such competitions can help disruptive
technologies emerge, they often tend not to attract the best innovators, at times because
the terms of the patent and remuneration are not negotiable. Depending on the maturity
of the technology, the innovator should be rewarded adequately. The reward could include
the strategic involvement of the concerned ministries in the form of shared patent rights
or financial support to start a business. This will help source rather mature and developed
solar-based cooking solutions.
#SOL03 Pilot enterprise-based business models and facilitate access to affordable
credit for entrepreneurs and households
The solar-based cooking sector also needs innovative business models and financing
mechanisms to improve the availability and affordability of its products. MNRE and
MoPNG can help pilot business models driven by entrepreneurs and make affordable credit
accessible to entrepreneurs and households. Business models for solar-powered cooking
should also account for the cost of replacing batteries for households across income groups.
The technology will also need adequate field testing for quality, reliability, and durability. A
key initiative to further the technology can include collaborations between public labs and
private enterprises, which will ensure that infrastructural facilities, such as labs, are made
available to a larger group of entrepreneurs.
5.7. Electricity-based cooking
As the country makes progress towards achieving universal household electrification, the
use of electricity for cooking and heating is only likely to increase. Under the ambitious
scenario of IESS, 14 per cent of rural households will use electricity for cooking by 2047. In
2018, only about one per cent of rural households used an electric or induction stove (Jain
et al., 2018). It thus becomes clear that a major policy push is required to wean households
off fossil fuels and other traditional sources of cooking fuel and transition towards a clean
energy stack through electricity.
#ELC01 Improve the quality of electricity access
Rural electrification schemes such as Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY)
and Saubhagya have focused on the electrification of villages and households, but not on the
reliability or quality of supply. Without assured quality (consistency in voltage), reliability
(occurrence of black-outs), and sustained duration of electricity supply, households are
unlikely to invest in induction cookstoves and other such electric devices, given that they
currently have the flexibility of cooking at any time of the day with the traditional chulha and
LPG. The government’s ambition to provide all households with power 24x7 by 2022 (PTI,
2015) will be instrumental in unlocking the potential of electricity-based cooking in rural
areas.
#ELC02 Ensure that the connection and peak loads can support induction stoves
legally
Given the wattage of such cookstoves—1400W to 2100W—many newly electrified households
will not be able to make use of them, as they are likely to have received 500W connections
under Saubhagya. The easy availability of such appliances, coupled with the low connection
loads available, might create perverse incentives to illegally tap electricity to access higher
Business
models for
solar-powered
cooking should
account for the
cost of replacing
batteries
In 2018, only
about one per
cent of rural
households used
an electric or
induction stove 53
loads for cooking energy. There is thus a need to plan for the additional capacity that will
be required through investments to augment the power distribution infrastructure—such
as upgrading the 500W connections, providing three-phase connections, and reducing the
length of trunk lines to improve the quality of supply, etc.
#ELC03 Map the willingness and ability to pay for electricity in order to identify
priority areas that can use electricity as cooking energy
When households without electricity were asked why they were not electrified despite
the electrification of their neighbourhood, almost 80 per cent stated that they found it too
expensive (Jain et al., 2018). After adding cooking energy to the mix, the increased cost of
electricity will be predictably steep for many households. However, a careful mapping of the
willingness and ability to pay for electricity is necessary to identify and prioritise clusters
of households that will be able to use electricity as clean cooking energy. Since many rural
households will be new consumers of electricity, it will be important to study their attitude
towards the use and payment of electricity, and to improve their understanding of how
electricity can further the convenience of cooking vis-à-vis the traditional chulha.
#ELC04 Improve the energy efficiency of induction cookstoves
On average, with three hours of cooking in a day, a household’s monthly expenditure on
electric cooking energy will be INR 540 (USD 8), which is comparable to the monthly outlay
required for LPG.
31
However, if households are to rely entirely on electricity-based cooking,
it is important to improve the energy efficiency of induction cookstoves and other commonly
used electric devices. This would help households minimise their energy consumption and
lower their recurring expenditure on electricity. A few companies have set up government-
approved R&D centres to improve the efficiency of induction cookstoves. Although oil
marketing companies and ONGC have begun start-up funds to support the development of
user-friendly electric cooking appliances (IANS, 2017), entrepreneurs in the sector still need
more direction to innovate affordable energy-efficient appliances for the rural segment.
#ELC05 Improve consumer awareness of electric cooking and stove efficiency
In addition to improving households’ understanding of how electricity can improve
cooking, there is also a need to make them aware of alternative energy-efficient appliances
and practices. This will help in the provision of quality electricity supply and in reducing
household expenditure on electricity. They will also need to be made aware of the
importance of factoring in energy-efficiency ratings when making decisions around the
purchase of electric consumer durables for cooking.
31 Primary interviews with stakeholders.
A mapping of the
willingness to
pay for electricity
could help
identify clusters
of households
that can possibly
use electricity for
cooking
On average, a
household’s
monthly
expenditure on
electric cooking
energy will be INR
540, comparable
to the average
outlay on LPG
Fuel-specific Strategies for Improving Access to Clean Cooking Energy 54Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
Image: iStock-Gawrav
Two-thirds of rural households with
LPG continue to use traditional biomass
cookstoves (CEEW ACCESS 2018 survey). 55 56
Targeted subsidies
I
n 2007, Indonesia started a fuel substitution scheme designed to substitute household
consumption of subsidised kerosene with subsidised LPG. Every household across six
provinces in Indonesia received a free starter package containing a 3-kg LPG cylinder, the
first LPG fill, one burner stove, a hose, and a regulator. The financing for the programme
came from the roll back of subsidies on kerosene. The share of LPG in household
consumption has increased from 1.9 per cent in 2005 to 13.5 per cent in 2013, while the share
of kerosene has dropped considerably from 18 per cent in 2005 to 1.8 per cent in 2013 (Toft,
Beaton, and Lontoh, 2016).
In 2012, the Government of Thailand announced its intention to develop a system to provide
subsidised LPG only to low-income households and small businesses. Since its inception,
the policy has provided LPG at a fixed price of THB 18.13 (less than 60 US cents) per kg (IMF,
2015). Households are eligible for benefits if they have a power connection of no more than
5 amperes and consume an average of less than 90 kWh of electricity per month. Their
consumption is limited to 18 kg every three months (EPPO, 2015).
Complementary policies
In order to expand LPG use, Senegal set up three different price structures, with price
revisions every three months: one for 2.75-kg bottles, another for 6-kg bottles, and a third for
large 12.5-kg cylinders. Only the first two sizes were subsidised. The policy of encouraging
LPG consumption was complemented with measures to rationalise wood resource
management. This included an increase in wood-cutting license fees, tighter production
quotas, the creation of a land allocation system for charcoal production, and a progressive
increase in the official sales price of charcoal (GIZ, 2007).
6. Best Practices for
Improving Access to
Clean Cooking Energy
Solutions 57
Cameroon adopted its first national LPG master plan in 2016 to increase the share of
households cooking with LPG from about 12 per cent in 2014 to 58 per cent by 2030 (Van
Leeuwan, 2017). The government partnered with the Global LPG Partnership (GLPGP) to craft
policies and reforms and define investments and interventions. The approach is government-
led, inter-ministerial, and multi-stakeholder, drawing on the best international practices and
facilitated by GLPGP experts. Over the next 15 years, about EUR 400 million will be invested
in cylinders, importation facilities, refilling plants, and distribution, including by small and
medium-size enterprises. In February 2017, GLPGP, together with Cameroonian partners and
the Department of Public Health and Policy at the University of Liverpool, launched a new
microfinance pilot to expand the adoption of LPG for clean cooking to previously unserved
communities (World Bank, 2017).
Awareness campaign to increase adoption
In order to support gradual price rises and the introduction of targeted LPG subsidies, the
Government of Thailand developed a two-stage public relations plan aligned with the stages
of its own planning process. This involved interviews with Ministry of Energy officials,
seminars, public hearings, leaflets, posters, TV media, print media, radio media, and online
news (Toft, Beaton, and Lontoh, 2016).
In Lag Valley in India, the NGO Jagriti employed volunteers from villages to disseminate
information on LPG and the available subsidy. Volunteers from low-caste and low-income
households were chosen, so that the knowledge would be disseminated uniformly across
various social categories.
Leveraging technology
In El Salvador, LPG retailers have been provided with a mobile phone connected to a central
database that is updated in real time. LPG consumers register for the subsidy using their
single identification document and enter an individual password into the retailer’s mobile
phone to check their eligibility. The vendor then receives confirmation from the central
database and can sell LPG at a fixed below-market price to the consumer (Toft, Beaton, and
Lontoh, 2016).
Envirofit, a social enterprise that manufactures clean cookstoves, offers a new, technology-
based, pay-as-you-go service called SmartGas that allows households to pay for LPG as
they use the fuel. The technology—a smart valve—monitors the use of gas and allows the
company to schedule the delivery of a new tank before the customer runs out of LPG, thus
assuring consistent supply. The company has started implementing SmartGas in Kenya and
plans to expand to other regions soon (Envirofit, 2017).
Linking with social protection and livelihood
intervention programmes
To improve energy access, the Peruvian government created the Fondo de Inclusión Social
Energético (FISE) in 2012. Under the FISE scheme, recipient households receive a monthly
voucher worth PEN 16 (roughly USD 5.70) and financial support for the first LPG refill every
month. The voucher is provided to recipients through a numeric code on their electricity
bill that they can redeem via their own mobile phones. Subsidy recipients can redeem their
allowances for up to two months, and the LPG must be purchased through an “authorised
LPG agent”—a distribution network that has expanded since the inception of the programme
(Toft, Beaton, and Lontoh, 2016; FISE, 2018).
Envirofit offers
a pay-as-you-go
service called
SmartGas that
allows households
to pay for LPG as
they use the fuel
Best Practices for Improving Access to Clean Cooking Energy Solutions 58Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
The Bihar Livelihoods Promotion Society, JEEViKA, with the support of The Energy and
Research Institute, introduced solar home lighting systems and forced SHGs to use draft
smokeless cookstoves. Some women in Madhubani district have found the smokeless
cookstoves useful and have experienced reduced smoke and begun to consume less
firewood. The extent of firewood use has reduced from 10 kg per month to 3 kg per month.
Local entrepreneurs for maximising impact
Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda are witnessing a growing briquetting industry
focused on coal and biomass. At the micro-entrepreneur end of the market, organisations
like Energy 4 Impact (formerly, GVEP), Harvest Fuel, and the Legacy Foundation are
supporting the migration of micro- and small-scale entrepreneurs from manual extruders to
low-cost, locally fabricated, motorised briquette machines (ESMAP, 2015).
TIDE, based in Karnataka, engages semi-literate rural women as VLEs. These VLEs have
constructed over 7,500 cookstoves using local materials. The VLEs, selected through women’s
SHGs, are provided with a five-day training conducted by women who are proven leaders.
Product differentiation for markets
Group Energies Renouvelables, Environnement et Solidarité (GERES) started the Cambodian
Fuelwood Saving Project in urban areas of Cambodia and developed and distributed the New
Lao Stove (NLS). However, GERES recognised the need to develop an improved cookstove
for rural users and engaged women potters to develop the Neang Kongrey Stove (NKS).
The production methods of these two cookstoves differ widely. Women potters produce
the NKS in their homes. Its prototype, originally produced by women clay potters who
were trained by GERES, was validated in 2004. The production process involves skills that
traditional potters already have. The NKS is made from coarse clay, a material already used
for the production of traditional chulhas. It lasts between one and two years and costs
approximately USD 1.50 (GACC, n.d.). These trained producers become part of a collaborative
enterprise called the Association of Producers and Distributors of Improved Cookstoves in
Cambodia (ICOPRODAC), which consists of approximately 250 members. Before accepting
women into the training, GERES communicates with the husbands to ensure that they
have their support to participate in the programme. GERES has also been experimenting
with providing loans for producers to invest in equipment through a savings-cum-credit
cooperative scheme.
Behaviour change communication
In Kenya, the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves supported the launch of a television
programme named Samba Chef (GACC, 2017). The objective of the show was to demonstrate
the use of cookstoves and inspire people to switch to cleaner cookstoves and fuels.
According to research, 80 per cent of the targeted population regularly watches television
and listens to the radio. Samba Chef is complemented by a community outreach intervention
in 17 counties in Central and Western Kenya. Community-based organisations conduct door-
to-door and small group communication sessions on the benefits of clean cooking, as well as
market events and cooking demonstrations.
The show Samba
Chef demonstrates
clean cookstoves
and inspires
people to use
them 59
Financial collaboration
Sistema Biobolsa, a biogas enterprise based out of Mexico and Kenya, has collaborated with
Kiva
32
since 2012 to fundraise about USD 718,000 for installing affordable biodigester systems
for households (Kiva, 2015). Savings from the use of the organic fertiliser has allowed farmers
to repay the loans in time.
Biogas as waste management
In several European countries, regulations have pushed for a scaled biogas sector to manage
the animal waste generated from dairy husbandry and slaughterhouses. These plants, run by
agricultural cooperatives, also generate electricity. In Central Hungary, since 2007, a 1.7 MW
plant produces 6 billion m
3
of biogas annually, meeting the electricity needs of about 4,000
households. This has reduced the demand for natural gas in the region. The plant received
private funding for operations and state support for infrastructure (Intelligent Energy, n.d.).
Network-based approach to construction,
maintenance, and monitoring
Over the last seven years, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) has created a network of
30 partner NGOs and set up about 100,000 biogas plants in India. Their approach includes
the construction, maintenance, and monitoring of plants managed by a network of NGO
partners. Local entrepreneurs are trained to construct the plants in-situ, while local women,
who are paid INR 4,000 a month for looking after 100 units, provide maintenance services.
To monitor the maintenance and use of plants, users provide feedback to a local volunteer—
such as the school teacher—who records all the information on tablets that EDF can access.
EDF has also used carbon finance to reduce the upfront cost of setting up biogas plants for
households.
33
32 Kiva is an international fundraising non-profit based in San Francisco, with a mission to connect people
through lending to alleviate poverty. 
33 Primary interviews with stakeholders.
EDF has used
carbon finance
to reduce the
upfront cost
of setting up
biogas plants for
households
Best Practices for Improving Access to Clean Cooking Energy Solutions 60Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
Image: iStock-Patpitchaya 61
Programme evaluation must go beyond
connections to assess the sustained use
of clean energy technologies. 62Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
7. Monitoring and
Evaluation Framework
A
national mission on clean cooking energy will need rigorous monitoring and evaluation
(M&E) to facilitate the transition from the traditional chulha to sustained access to, and
use of, clean cooking energy. The M&E team under the mission should be independent of the
programme team, while engaging with it for regular reviews. The evaluation of this national
roadmap should be linked to a third-party baseline, midterm, and endpoint evaluation of
access to clean cooking energy. This section lays down some mechanisms for designing a
tracking and evaluation framework that can help with course correction at regular intervals.
FIGURE 12: The arc of programme design, monitoring, and evaluation
Source: CEEW analysis, 2018
Monitoring effective use of clean cooking energy
The M&E framework should be designed to monitor the change in exposure to HAP resulting
from discontinuing use of the chulha and initiating sustained use of a single fuel or stacked
clean cooking energy solutions. The sale or dissemination of technologies should be tracked,
and this data should be used to generate feedback with regard to adoption. The national
roadmap should have interim targets by which to measure achievements, and which
should also be used to benchmark the various policies and programmes. There should be a
comprehensive evaluation to assess the effectiveness of the programme design and strategic
interventions, implementation efficiency, as well the overall impact of those interventions on
the outcome indicators.
Set goals
and targets
Design
interventions
to achieve
target
Monitor
effectiveness
Measure
the impact
Set goals
and targets 63
Mixed methods to monitor
Sensor-based technologies could be used to remotely monitor changes in the exposure to
HAP that result from discontinuing use of the chulha. This will help reduce the reporting bias
from survey-based methods. In addition to sensors and surveys, qualitative community-level
and stakeholder-level assessments must be conducted to gain a deeper understanding of
the issues faced across regions, social groups, and cooking energy solutions. Administrative
data of oil marketing companies and other clean cooking energy providers can be leveraged
to evaluate adoption and sustained use. While some data is already available publicly, more
can be procured to inform programmes on clean cooking energy. The M&E should be done
through independent third parties and be supervised by the mission’s M&E team.
Evaluate multidimensional impact
The impact assessment should include a focus on health, gender, and livelihoods. A multi-
criteria assessment at the start of the mission will help in building a stronger case for the
adoption of clean cooking energy among households. In order to facilitate this, the M&E
team should include members who have experience in the fields of energy access, health,
gender, environment, etc. As discussed before, the lack of access to clean cooking energy
should be monitored across social groups, income deciles, regions, and other context-
specific variables that could contribute to reduced access.
Regional and national monitoring
The M&E framework should include common review missions that allow multiple ministries
to assess progress regularly with regard to their particular focus areas. The monitoring
should be done at the state, district, and block levels in order to gather specific insights on
progress, and to accordingly streamline efforts to address gaps. For instance, state-specific
challenges with regard to awareness should lead to a focus on awareness campaigns in that
state. Hence, granular information on gaps in the sector become essential. Further, the team
should learn from best practices across districts and states, and should replicate these best
practices in context-specific situations to improve the effectiveness of interventions in terms
of availability, affordability, and awareness of clean cooking energy.
Access should be
monitored across
social groups,
income deciles,
regions, and other
similar context-
specific variables
Monitoring and Evaluation Framework
Image: iStock-Patpitchaya 64Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
TABLE 3: Indicative list of metrics for M&E of the national mission on clean cooking
energy
Theme Indicator
Energy
• Percentage of households using clean cooking energy
• Percentage of households using stacking only among clean cooking energy
• Kind of stack used in the household
• Percentage of households using traditional chulhas for uses other than
cooking meals (space heating, boiling water, etc.)
• Average household monthly expenditure on cooking energy (by income level,
by caste, by region, by sex of the head of the household)
Gender and
Livelihoods
• Percentage of households where women reported time saved in cooking and
cleaning due to the use of clean cooking energy
• Percentage of households where women reported greater involvement of
men in the kitchen due to ease of cooking
• Percentage of households where women or girls reported reduction in
drudgery due to the use of clean cooking energy
• Percentage of households where women reported an increase in income due
to the use of clean cooking energy
• Percentage of households where women decided what fuel to buy for
cooking and when
• Other benefits articulated by men and women
Health
• Percentage of households with reduced incidence of sore eyes, and cough
during cooking
• Percentage of households where expectant mothers were not exposed to
burning of solid fuels during cooking
• Percentage of households where children under five years were not exposed
to burning of solid fuels during cooking
Source: CEEW analysis, 2018 65
E
nabling access to clean cooking energy is crucial to reducing the public health burden
imposed by household air pollution. Through LPG subsidies and various programmes in
support of improved cookstoves and biogas, the Government of India has been promoting
access to clean cooking fuels and technologies for about five decades. Despite such efforts, a
large section of the Indian population, particularly rural households, remains dependent on
traditional biomass cookstoves for most of their cooking needs.
Over the last two years, through its flagship programme, PMUY, the government has
taken an important step forward in enabling clean cooking energy access by making LPG
connections available to millions of low-income households. It has also brought the issue
into mainstream discussions, promoting an understanding of clean cooking energy among
the masses that had perhaps till then only existed in the echo chambers of development
professionals and policymakers.
However, as access to clean cooking energy is a multidimensional issue, it is not enough
to merely adopt a countrywide strategy that focuses on a single fuel or benefit-transfer
mechanism. The lack of energy access manifests in a variety of practical forms, including
poor public health, high time poverty, inferior development opportunities for women and
children, unequal rural development, and loss of critical biodiversity and natural resources.
As a result, to fully address the issue in a manner that covers all potential threats arising
from the lack of access, it is important to involve all concerned stakeholders in programme
ideation and implementation, including the private sector, civil society, relevant government
ministries and, above all, the households that are at the heart of the issue.
Energy access is multidimensional not just in its implications but also in its characteristics.
Stakeholders who are working towards improving access to clean cooking energy must
consider the health and safety, fuel availability, convenience, affordability, and quality
associated with the use of the fuel or technology. To ensure that all these aspects are dealt
with and that fuel stacking with traditional cookstoves is eliminated, we need a national
8. Conclusion
It is not enough
to adopt a
countrywide
strategy that
focuses on a
single fuel or
benefit-transfer
mechanism 66Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
strategy that is open to multiple fuels and is delivered by multiple stakeholders at the local,
state, and national levels.
Since the vision of the Roadmap is to eliminate the use of cooking arrangements that cause
HAP, the primary focus must be to ensure that the fuel stack of households is clean from an
air-pollution perspective. Exposure to HAP must be brought within WHO-prescribed safe
limits by increasing access to modern fuels and technologies and simultaneously improving
ventilation in the cooking area of households. To ensure that the stack of fuels is entirely
clean, there must be a focus on measuring and monitoring the sustained use of clean
cooking energy solutions and on monitoring the discontinuation of traditional cookstoves.
To fully eliminate exposure to HAP, it is important as well to address the practice of heating
homes using traditional biomass.
It is also important to consider and communicate the complementary roles that these
solutions play in unlocking access to clean cooking energy. Furthermore, there is a need
to prioritise action for each fuel and technology, based on its current level of maturity (in
terms of penetration, user acceptance, technology development, etc.). For instance, before
it is deployed widely, the ICS ecosystem needs support in terms of technology innovations
to improve its durability, convenience, and emissions performance. Additionally, in order to
scale up biogas, there is a need to pilot and strengthen business models to reduce the effort
required of households in operating and maintaining the plants, and to offer training in
effective plant-management practices. In stark contrast to both ICS and biogas, the strategies
for LPG need to focus more on improving availability in rural areas and allowing for flexible
payment schedules. There is also a need to leverage the DBT platform to transition from the
current uniform subsidy model to one that is context based and is tailored to households’
affordability. Emerging alternatives such as solar- and electricity-based cooking need
investments in technology development as well as ecosystem-building support. Finally, the
promotion of these solutions should be based on the local context, planned at the district
and state level, and should consider local needs, geographical factors, available natural
resources, and prevailing socio-economic and cultural conditions.
A multi-fuel, multi-stakeholder, and multipronged national strategy that considers not only
the supply side, but also the needs, aspirations, and priorities of consumers will ensure a
sustainable transition towards clean and affordable cooking energy access for all.
To fully
eliminate
household air
pollution, it is
important to
address space
heating of
homes using
traditional
biomass 67
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10. Annexures
TABLE A1: List of stakeholders interviewed
S.No.NameInstitution
Clean cooking energy enterprises
1 Amar PatilUrja Bio Systems
2 Chandru KalroPrestige
3 Devang JoshiRudra Solar Energy
4 Dharmendra Gor Taylormade Solar Solutions
5 Harish AnchanEnvirofit
6 Mateen AbdulGrassroots Energy
7 Partha Talukder Prakti Design
8 Piyush SohaniSustainEarth Energy
9 Prasad KokilEcosense Appliances
10 Sameer Kanabargi Phoenix Products
11 Sucheta Baliga Greenway Grameen
Donors and financiers
12 Anuradha Bhavnani Shell Foundation
13 Jayshree Vyas SEWA Bank
14 Jugal Kishore Pattnayak Mahashakti Foundation
15 Smita RakeshTATA Trusts
16 Supriya KumarGlobal Alliance for Clean Cookstoves
Civil society organisations
17 Richie AhujaEnvironmental Defense Fund
18 Helle LundHumana People to People
19 Upmanyu PatilSwayam Shikshan Prayog
20 Patil Balachandra Indian Institute of Science
21 Asim MirzaThe Energy and Resources Institute
22 Manish PandeyThe Energy and Resources Institute
23 V. K. VijayIndian Institute of Technology, Delhi
24 S. KamarajNon-Conventional Energy and Rural Development Society
Government ministries and agencies
25 D. K. Khare Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (Retd.)
26 G. L. MeenaMinistry of New and Renewable Energy
27 Inder ParkashDirectorate General of Health Services
28 Jyotsna GolaNational Skill Development Corporation
29 Parveen Dhamija Skill Council for Green Jobs
30 Praveen Saxena Skill Council for Green Jobs
31 Sarika DhawanDeen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana
32 Subodh KumarIndian Oil Corporation
33 Suresh S. Honnappagol Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries
Source: CEEW complilation 72Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
TABLE A2: List of participants at the consultation on Roadmap for Access to Clean Cook-
ing Energy
S.No.NameInstitution
Consultation with clean cooking energy practitioners
1 A.R. ShuklaIndian Biogas Association
2 Dhaval Thakkar Sahastra Urja Private Limited
3 Loitongbam Bidhan Synergy
4 Mateen AbdulGrassroots Energy
5 Meenakshi Verma Indian Oil Corporation
6 Priyadarshini Karve Samuchit Enviro Tech
7 Rachna YadavVardaan Indane Gas
8 Rajesh JoshiRupak Enterprises
9 Rohit LohiaEnvirofit International
10 Rumana Qidwai Indian Oil Corporation
11 Saurabh Dubey Greenway Grameen
Consultation with sector enablers (CSOs and donors)
12 Akanksha RaiGlobal Alliance for Clean Cookstoves
13 Supriya Kumar Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves
14 Ashwini Dabadge Prayas (Energy Group)
15 Asim MirzaThe Energy and Resources Institute
16 Debajit Palit The Energy and Resources Institute
17 Manish Pandey The Energy and Resources Institute
18 Chandrashekhar Integrated Research and Action for Development
19 Govind Kelkar M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation
20 Kapil GoelCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
21 Madhura Joshi Independent Consultant
22 Meenakshi Goel National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
23 Pooja AroraThe Energy and Resources Institute
24 Rekha Krishnan WEFT Research
25 Rishika Jerath Environmental Defense Fund
26 Sarabjit Singh Sooch Punjab Agricultural University
27 S. N. Srinivas Clean Energy Access Network
28 Soma DuttaIndependent Consultant
29 Chandra Shekhar Sinha World Bank
Consultation with government ministries and agencies
30 Aravindh M. A. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
31 Avantika Garg Indian Oil Corporation
32 Ayush KumarIndian Oil Corporation
32 Bijay KumarIndian Oil Corporation
33 G. L. MeenaMinistry of New and Renewable Energy
34 H. R. KhanMinistry of New and Renewable Energy
35 Ashutosh Jindal Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas 73
S.No.NameInstitution
36 Harald Richter Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit
37 Praveen Saxena Skill Council for Green Jobs
38 Preeti KaurMinistry of New and Renewable Energy
39 Rajnath RamNITI Aayog
40 Subodh KumarIndian Oil Corporation
41 Vineet SainiDepartment of Science and Technology
42 Virendra Kumar Vijay Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi
Source: CEEW complilation
Guidelines for survey and for prioritisation of strategy
We are proposing the following strategies under the Clean Cooking Energy Roadmap, for
improving access to LPG/biogas/ICS in India, to the extent of its suitable potential. Please
rate each strategy as ‘low’, ‘medium’, or ‘high’, across the four parameters described
herewith:
Effort involved in implementation: Please consider (jointly) the political and administrative
effort and the financial resources required to implement the strategy nationally.
Time to implement: Please consider the time that will be required to implement the strategy
nationally. For this parameter, please select ‘low’ if the time required is less than one year,
‘medium’ for one to three years, and ‘high’ for more than three years.
Likelihood of impact: Please rate how likely the strategy is to lead to its intended impact.
Scale of impact: Please rate the magnitude of impact likely to result from the implementation
of the strategy. This should take into consideration both the number of households
benefitted and the average quantum of impact for each affected household. Please use:
• ‘Low’ for a limited impact on a small proportion of households,
• ‘Medium’ for either a limited impact on a large proportion of households or a significant
impact on a small proportion of households,
• ‘High’ for a significant impact on a large proportion of households.
Proposed strategies, by ministry
Relevant
ministry
Proposed strategy
Ministry of
Petroleum and
Natural Gas
#LPG01 Invest in R&D to improve the thermal efficiency of LPG stoves
#LPG02
Make energy-efficiency labelling for LPG stoves mandatory
industry-wide
#LPG03
Promote innovation in, and bulk procurement of, composite
fibreglass LPG cylinders
#LPG04
Enable self-help groups (SHGs) and other local outlets to become
extension counters for rural distributors
#LPG05
Stock small LPG cylinders with Kisan Seva Kendras and local
shops in rural areas
Annexures 74Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
Relevant
ministry
Proposed strategy
#LPG06
Increase rural LPG coverage, and improve safety/security of
warehousing and retailing by enhancing skilling support for
entrepreneurs and workers interested in LPG distributorships
#LPG07
Provide low-interest loans to households for LPG refills through
SHGs, to allow flexible payment plans and to promote the
sustained use of LPG
#LPG08
Promote innovation and bulk procurement of pay-as-you-go
smart valves for LPG cylinders
#BGS02
Invest in R&D to develop double-burner stoves that can use LPG
and biogas
#PNG01 Credit-linked instalments for PNG connections
#PNG02
Adoption of prepaid metres that allow recurring payments of
smaller amounts
#PNG03
Prevent households from having both LPG and PNG connections
#PNG04 Decentralise the supply and distribution of LNG
#PNG05
Manage the profitability of CGDs through a healthy balance of
import and domestic LNG
#SOL03
Pilot enterprise-based business models and facilitate access to
affordable credit for entrepreneurs and households
Ministry of New
and Renewable
Energy
#ICS01
Invest in R&D of ICS to improve their resilience/longevity,
efficiency, safety, and user convenience to bring their on-field
emissions within WHO safe limits (Tier 4)
#ICS02
Invest in R&D infrastructure, including laboratories for the testing
of various models
#ICS03
Mandate that testing centres provide detailed lab reports on ICS
to manufacturers instead of the current “pass/fail” report
#ICS04 Mandate on-field testing in the certification process of cookstoves
#ICS05
Make the labelling of energy efficiency and emissions on ICS
mandatory; push the industry to improve their efficiency
#ICS06
Mandate empanelled enterprises to provide warranties on ICS for
at least as long as the loan repayment period
#ICS07
Create scope in policy for better capacity-building of state- and
national-level implementation agencies
#ICS08
Support rural entrepreneurs/self-help groups (SHGs) through
preferential loans and capital subsidies for the production and
distribution of pellets/briquettes
#ICS09 Pilot various business models of pelletisation
#ICS10
Provide subsidised training in pellet manufacturing and ICS
manufacturing, assembling, and marketing to local entrepreneurs
and workers
#ICS11
Sensitise bank professionals to lend to empanelled ICS enterprises
to ease their working capital requirements
#BGS01
Provide grants for the promotion of new technologies that are less
effort intensive and/or more efficient
#BGS02
Invest in R&D to develop double-burner stoves that can use LPG
and biogas
#BGS03 Allow subsidies for prefabricated biogas plants 75
Relevant
ministry
Proposed strategy
#BGS04
Pilot enterprise-based models for biogas-as-a-service, and offer
incentives, such as cheaper loans, to rural biogas entrepreneurs
#BGS05 Invest in R&D to reduce the cost of biogas bottling and packaging
#BGS06
Organise demonstrations that illustrate the experience of using
biogas by outlining the differences between modern biogas plants
and traditional chulhas, as well as older models of biogas
#BGS07
Provide subsidised training in manufacturing, marketing, and
maintenance to local entrepreneurs and workers; and in plant
operation to users
#BGS08
Start a helpline for households to report breakdowns and
guarantee the time frame for the repair
#BGS09
Sensitise financial institutions and other investors to the newest
business models in biogas and related technologies
#BGS10 Improve ease of access to consumer finance for biogas
#BGS11
Involve agricultural finance institutions in supporting biogas
plants
#SOL01
R&D to improve the efficiency and affordability of solar thermal/
electric cooking
#SOL02
Improve terms of patents and prizes in competitions to allow
serious entrepreneurs to apply
#SOL03
Pilot enterprise-based business models and facilitate access to
affordable credit for entrepreneurs and households
Department
of Science and
Technology
#LPG01 Invest in R&D to improve the thermal efficiency of LPG stoves
#ICS01
Invest in R&D of ICS to improve their resilience/longevity,
efficiency, safety, and user convenience to bring their on-field
emissions within WHO safe limits (Tier 4)
#ICS02
Invest in R&D infrastructure, including laboratories for the testing
of various models
#BGS01
Provide grants for the promotion of new technologies that are less
effort intensive and/or more efficient
#BGS02
Invest in R&D to develop double-burner stoves that can use LPG
and biogas
#BGS05 Invest in R&D to reduce the cost of biogas bottling and packaging
#SOL01
R&D to improve the efficiency and affordability of solar thermal/
electric cooking
#SOL02
Improve terms of patents and prizes in competitions to allow
serious entrepreneurs to apply
#ELC04 Improve the energy efficiency of induction cookstoves
Ministry of
Power
#LPG02
Make energy-efficiency labelling for LPG stoves mandatory
industry-wide
#ELC01 Improve the quality of electricity access
#ELC02
Ensure that the connection and peak loads can support induction
stoves legally
#ELC03
Map the willingness and ability to pay for electricity in order to
identify priority areas that can use electricity as cooking energy
#ELC04 Improve the energy efficiency of induction cookstoves
#ELC05
Improve consumer awareness of electric cooking and stove
efficiency
Ministry of Rural
Development
#LPG04
Enable self-help groups (SHGs) and other local outlets to become
extension counters for rural distributors
Annexures 76
Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
Relevant
ministry
Proposed strategy
#LPG06
Increase rural LPG coverage, and improve safety/security of
warehousing and retailing by enhancing skilling support for
entrepreneurs and workers interested in LPG distributorships
#LPG07
Provide low-interest loans to households for LPG refills through
SHGs, to allow flexible payment plans and to promote the
sustained use of LPG
#ICS08
Support rural entrepreneurs/self-help groups (SHGs) through
preferential loans and capital subsidies for the production and
distribution of pellets/briquettes
#ICS10
Provide subsidised training in pellet manufacturing and ICS
manufacturing, assembling, and marketing to local entrepreneurs
and workers
#BGS06
Organise demonstrations that illustrate the experience of using
biogas by outlining the differences between modern biogas plants
and traditional chulhas, as well as older models of biogas
#BGS07
Provide subsidised training in manufacturing, marketing, and
maintenance to local entrepreneurs and workers; and in plant
operation to users
Source: CEEW analysis 77
Image: iStock Fotohalo
Although 58 per cent of rural households
have LPG connections, only 37 per cent
use it for most of their cooking needs
(CEEW ACCESS Survey 2018). 78Roadmap for Access to Clean Cooking Energy in India
Image: iStock
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