India is exploring a hybrid model to leverage roof-top solar energy for cooking as part of an ambitious plan to reduce imports of costly fossil fuels, two government officials aware of the development said.
The plan, which is expected to be part of the Clean Cooking Mission, may also comprise in-house battery infrastructure for energy storage to provide uninterrupted electricity to around 250 million households, the people said, requesting anonymity.
The shift to solar energy as domestic cooking fuel is being explored by the power and petroleum, and natural gas ministries. A total of 5.7 gigawatts (GW) of solar roof-top projects have been set up in India so far, and 24 states and Union territories have identified cities to be developed as solar cities. The plan will also add heft to India’s green energy credentials and help…