This solar stove will provide relief from inflation, food will be cooked without gas! Know what it is and how it works

Nowadays, amidst inflation and rising prices of LPG cylinders, solar electric stove has emerged as a new and interesting option. Recently, Union Consumer Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi also discussed it and said that this technology can help in reducing dependence on LPG.

Especially when solar panels are installed on the roof (like under PM Surya Ghar Yojana), this stove works like a domestic electric stove, but the energy comes from the sun.

What is solar electric stove?

A solar electric stove is actually an electric induction or heating stove, which runs on solar energy. It looks like a common gas stove, but it uses electricity instead of gas. Many models also produce a flame-like flame, which makes it seem as if cooking on gas.

This stove can be of two types:

Pure Solar Powered- Runs directly from solar panels.

Hybrid – Can run on both solar + grid electricity.

In India, indoor solar cooking system like Surya Nutan of Indian Oil also comes in this category, which works with thermal battery. There are also some imported models which Indian companies are demoing.

How does this work?

The way it works is quite simple but smart:

• Solar Panel: Solar panels installed on the roof convert sunlight into electricity (DC current).
• Battery/Charge Controller: The electricity generated during the day is stored in the battery. With this, food can be cooked even in the evening or on cloudy days.
• Inverter: Converts the DC electricity from the battery to AC electricity, which is necessary to run the stove.
• induction or heating tool: Induction stove has copper coil. When electricity passes, a strong magnetic field is created. This field produces eddy current in the vessel (which should be of ferrous metal) and the vessel itself gets heated. The pot heats, not the stove surface – so it’s safe and fast.

Some models have resistance heating or flame-like electric burners, which produce heat directly from electricity. The panels can directly power a stove or charge a battery using sunlight. In the hybrid model, if the solar power is less then the electricity for the house is automatically connected.

Example: With 1 kilowatt solar system (4-5 panels) and battery, this stove can easily do tasks like boiling tea, making vegetables, baking roti. Institutes like IIT Bombay have also developed such solar induction systems.

advantages

1. LPG Savings: A large part of the kitchen in the house can become gas free. According to Minister Joshi, this along with PM Surya Ghar Yojana can prove to be a game changer.
2. Cheap and Environment Friendly: Zero bills from the sun’s free energy. No smoke, no pollution.
3. Safe: The risk of gas leaks is eliminated. There is also less risk of burning in induction stove.
4. 24×7 Availability: Works even at night or in bad weather due to battery and hybrid system.

Challenges
Initial cost may be high (solar panel + battery + stove). But there are savings in the long run. The utensils should also be induction (iron or steel). In a country like India where there is abundant sunlight and dependence on LPG imports, solar electric stoves are a smart solution.

If Indian companies make it cheap and local with the government’s solar schemes, then millions of families can be free from the tension of gas. This technology may become better in future. If you already have a solar system in your home, then you can make your kitchen solar powered by adding a good hybrid electric stove.