Solar-Powered Cooking in Kenya

The study found that using solar irrigation systems for secondary cooking purposes is feasible, with 63% of treated households using EPCs at least once weekly. While EPCs modestly reduced reliance on traditional fuels and increased battery electricity consumption by up to 26% among active users, adoption was constrained by limited battery capacity, competing energy needs for entertainment, and gendered disparities in energy control. Education was the strongest predictor of adoption, and high price sensitivity suggests a need for targeted subsidies or financing to scale the technology.

• The use of electric pressure cookers (EPCs) powered by solar irrigation systems is feasible, with 63% of treated households using the devices at least once a week and 56% reporting satisfaction.
• Education was the primary driver of EPC adoption, whereas gender, income, and age did not have a significant impact on usage.
• Among active users, EPCs led to a modest reduction in the use of traditional fuels (by 10–12 percentage points) and increased solar battery electricity consumption by 20%–26%, though these results were not statistically significant.
• Adoption was hindered by technical and social constraints: households often prioritized lighting and entertainment over cooking due to limited battery capacity, and a gap exists between those who make cooking decisions (80% women) and those who control battery use (20%).
• High price sensitivity is a major barrier to scaling; while 79% of respondents were willing to pay KES 3,000 (USD 23) for an EPC, only 21% were willing to pay the market price of KES 9,000 (USD 69).

APA

Mani, S., Laan, T., Keller, F., Anami, C., & Aklin, M. (2026). Solar-Powered Cooking in Kenya. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-02/beyond-irrigation-solar-power-kenya-summary.pdf

Chicago

Mani, Sunil, Tara Laan, Franziska Keller, Cliff Anami, and Michaël Aklin. Solar-Powered Cooking in Kenya. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2026. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-02/beyond-irrigation-solar-power-kenya-summary.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mani |first1=Sunil |last2=Laan |first2=Tara |last3=Keller |first3=Franziska |last4=Anami |first4=Cliff |last5=Aklin |first5=Michaël |title=Solar-Powered Cooking in Kenya |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=February 2026 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-02/beyond-irrigation-solar-power-kenya-summary.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mani2026solarpowered, author = {Mani, Sunil and Laan, Tara and Keller, Franziska and Anami, Cliff and Aklin, Michaël}, title = {{Solar-Powered Cooking in Kenya}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2026}, month = feb, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-02/beyond-irrigation-solar-power-kenya-summary.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }