Solar cooking in India: Implementation, barriers & improvement aspects

Energy utilization for cooking needs is basic and foremost end use in developing countries. Growing population and depletion in natural resources urges to find the alternate energy sources. Solar energy is available in abundance for free and can be an excellent source for cooking needs. Various types of solar cooking appliances are developed across the world. This study highlights the current scenario of solar energy utilization for cooking in India. The recent developments in solar cooking and its acceptance at ground level are highlighted. The necessity of solar cooking with respect to economy, health and environment and the barriers for its underutilization are also highlighted. The cooking during non-sunshine is the most common barrier while the future with indoor cooking capabilities is most common requirement. The future directions needed to be addressed for improvement in its utility are also presented. Copyright (c) 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 4th International Conference on Advances in Mechanical Engineering and Nanotechnology.