Modern energy cooking services (MECS)

Modern energy cooking services MECS• Started in the last quarter of 2018• Is funded by DFID (UK Aid)• Is an applied research and innovation programme.• This MECS programme aims to break out of the

“business-as-usual” cycle of developments on cooking by investigating how to rapidly accelerate a transition from biomass to genuinely ‘clean’ cooking (i.e. with electric or gas).

• Focuses on what is in the title – “modern energy” for “cooking” with an understanding that this might need to be a “service” to be accessible for poorer households.

• Is led by Loughborough University• Contracted through an accountable grant to Loughborough and an

amended agreement to ESMAP (World Bank Multi Donor Trust fund)• Engages with UK Universities and Innovators, contractors, southern

partners, Clean Cooking Association and private sector

……MECS will deliver

• Evidence, research and insights into the drivers and pathways for economies to transition to modern energy cooking services.

• New technologies that make using electricity and gas more efficient, more practical, more desirable and affordable for poor households.

• Innovations in business models, financing and private sector delivery of modern energy cooking services.

• SDG global tracking that includes modern energy cooking services. • Inclusion of modern energy cooking services in World Bank International

Development Assistance programming and lending. • A changed narrative on cooking for those involved in wider energy access policy

and programming.• UK leadership in a new approach to clean cooking.

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So how does this translate into a programme?

The figure shows the DFID theory of change for MECS.

5 year programme.

The UK Programme• Early-TLR levels – Research programme. Developments of DC Stoves, energy

storage, system architecture (Grid-based, mini-grid, SHS). UK partnerships with existing Southern partners)

• Innovation Systems• Community-focused innovation and Impact Evaluation (social scientists

working closely with technology developers)• (connection to major new health research – University of Liverpool)• Higher TLR levels – Challenge Funds (Now Open)• LEIA• Global Leap• Our own Challenge Fund• Targeted Acceleration Fund• Addendum – pre-prepared food; humanitarian energy

MECS Challenge Fund

• The initiative funds projects up to GBP 30,000 each;

• Open to all companies/organizations, any size, based anywhere;

• Challenge and solutions must apply to a country supported by DFID;

• Novel and innovative solutions that use science, engineering or technology focussed on DFID's priorities;

• Collaborations with companies/organizations based in a country supported by DFID are encouraged;

MECS-TRIID Themes

Energy storage for

cooking

Grid and infrastructure adaptability

Alternative fuels

Delivery models, Gender,

Accessibility and inclusion in MECS

9Other Fuels, New Technologies and Specific Challenges

Biogas Bottling

Cooking in Refugee Camps

Electric Cooking is on the Horizon, Closer Than you Dare to Think Dr. Simon Batchelor and Prof. Ed Brown28/03/2019

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2013 – we noticed something

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Converting existing expenditure

“Much of the evidence available to date shows that electricity can be a key driver of economic and human development. However, in order to achieve this, it must go “beyond connections.” Quality, reliability and affordability matter”“Increased electrification levels provide opportunity to reduce indoor air pollution – one of the most prevalent causes of premature deaths. Energy efficient electric cooking solutions are on the horizon, following a path of other super-efficient appliances.”

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PV-eCook,utility

(DR=5%)

PV-eCook,privatesector

(DR=20%)

Charcoal LPG PV-eCook,utility

(DR=5%)

PV-eCook,privatesector

(DR=20%)

Charcoal LPG

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2020: PV-eCook becomes cost competitive for a significant number

of people

Large HHs cooking high energy foods

Small HHs cooking low energy foods

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Cooking is deeply cultural• In 2013, the eCook concept suggested that by 2020

it would be cost effective to cook with a Solar PV Battery combination.

• Since 2013, research on eCook has generated evidence that the concept is sound, created concept prototypes, undertook a global market assessment, undertaken trials and evidence gathering on behaviour in Zambia, Myanmar, Kenya and Tanzania and consulted policy actors about the concept.

• The concept has been expanded to include variants that draw energy from different sources (Solar, Hydro, Wind), at various scales (Home systems, off-grids, and National grid) and utilise existing technology in new configurations as well as developing new technologies.

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• To date researchers have tended to advocate induction hobs as a more efficient device than a hotplate. Evidence suggests this is only part of the picture.

• Recent eCook data suggests that a well insulated (electrical) ‘multi-cooker’ is an even more efficient device. Able to cook the majority of foods, it is desirable for its cleanliness and ease of use.

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So what happened to Solar? For example it potentially enhances the finances of minigrids.

• A solar home system can be adapted, and mini and micro grids can increase revenue by including cooking.

• However, many decentralised systems are in areas where people are not used to paying for their fuel.

• Even on a ‘Pay as you Go’ model of solar rural people may not be willing to pay.

• Whether these models are ‘pay then own’, or ‘pay for a service for ever’ we don’t know.

• Business model innovation is within scope of the new programme.

• There is much to be done with Urban and PeriUrban areas where people do pay for their polluting fuels.

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So we end with….• We have conducted a multi decision criteria scan

of the world to identify potential markets for transition.

• We have just begun a more coherent integrated multi-year research programme on Modern Energy Cooking Services.

• MECS is broader than electric cooking and also includes work on new approaches to other fuels such as biogas, ethanol and LPG.

• The programme is funded by UK Aid, and while it begun its work a few months ago, its official launch was in early April (also East Africa launch in Kenya in May), so public exposure of the programme is light at the moment.

• All the piecemeal research to date can be found at www.pv-ecook.org

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Closer than you thought?Electric Cooking is just around the corner

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Key References

• Batchelor S, 2013, Is it time for Solar electric cooking for Africa?, Gamos Concept Note, May 2013, Reading, UK; 2013

• Batchelor S, 2015a, Africa cooking with electricity (ACE), Gamos Working Paper (Draft as at August 2015). Reading, UK; 2015

• Batchelor S, 2015b, Solar electric cooking in Africa in 2020, A synthesis of the possibilities. Evidence on Demand, UK;.v + 44 pp. [DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12774/eod_cr.december2015.batchelors]

• Batchelor, S., Khan, R., Scott, N., Leary, J., 2017, eCook: the Near Future Landscape of Cooking in Urban Areas in Africa . International Research Conference on Strategies for Sustainable Urban Transitions in Urban Sub-Saharan Africa (SETUSA), 19-20 June 2017, ISSER Conference Facility, Legon, Accra.

• Institute for Transformative Technologies (ITT), 2016. Achieving Universal Electrification in India: A roadmap for rural solar mini-grids.

• M. Leach and R. Oduro, “Preliminary design and analysis of a proposed solar and battery electric cooking concept : costs and pricing,” Evidence on Demand (prepared at the request of the UK Department for International Development), 2015.

• E. Puzzolo, D. Stanistreet, D. Pope, N. Bruce, and E. Rehfuess, “Systematic review Factors influencing the large-scale uptake by households of cleaner and more efficient household energy technologies,” London: EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London, 2013.

• More recent documents can be found at www.pv-ecook.org