November 19, 2024

EKI Energy Wins BMGF Grant for Solar Cooker in Rural India

In a significant step towards advancing clean energy access in India, EKI Energy Services Ltd. has been awarded a pilot grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The funding is designated for the distribution of the Surya Nutan solar cooker, an innovative technology developed and patented by Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), to tribal and underprivileged communities in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra.

EKI Energy Wins BMGF Grant for Solar Cooker in Rural India: A New Era

The Surya Nutan cooker represents a modern alternative to traditional cooking methods like mud or three-stone stoves, which are often associated with harmful indoor air pollution. Manufactured by GHG Reductions Technologies, an EKI subsidiary based in Nashik, this device provides a smokeless and flameless cooking experience. Its versatile design allows for boiling, steaming, frying, and even making chapatis. The cooker operates on a hybrid system that combines solar photovoltaic energy with thermal storage and a supplementary grid connection, ensuring reliable, maintenance-free operation.

Assessing Impact and Empowering Communities

Beyond simply deploying the technology, the grant will enable EKI to conduct a thorough evaluation of the socio-economic effects of the solar cookers. By gathering data on improved health outcomes, reduced air pollution, and enhanced livelihoods, the initiative aims to quantify the transformative potential of clean cooking solutions. This project builds on EKI’s prior work, which included the distribution of 350 Surya Nutan units to families in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district earlier this year, establishing a foundation for an eco-friendly cooking revolution.

Manish Dabkara, Chairman and Managing Director of EKI Energy Services Ltd., expressed his enthusiasm for the project. “We are thrilled to receive this support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,” he stated. “This grant will allow us to scale up our efforts to provide clean cooking solutions to communities in need. The Surya Nutan has the potential to transform lives by improving health, reducing poverty, and empowering women.”

EKI’s Global Commitment to Sustainability

Established in 2008 and publicly listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), EKI Energy Services Ltd. is a global leader in carbon mitigation and sustainability. The company is recognized for developing carbon offset projects and was the first in India to list a plastic project under the Verra standard. With operations in over 16 countries and a client base of more than 3,500 across 40 nations, EKI has supplied over 200 million carbon offsets. Its services, which include carbon credit management, sustainability audits, and strategies for achieving carbon neutrality, are aligned with major international standards and contribute to building a climate-resilient global economy.

Sources

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EKI Energy Wins BMGF Grant for Solar Cooker in Rural India