Battery Supported Electric Cooking Technologies and Battery Swap Models

This white paper explores the potential of battery-enabled electric cooking (eCooking) as a pathway to expand access to clean, energy-efficient cooking in settings where electricity supply is limited, unreliable, or entirely absent. It examines how battery systems can bridge gaps in electricity access across three key scenarios: weak or low-power grids, systems with time-of-use incentives, and fully off-grid environments.

In weak-grid contexts, batteries can trickle-charge during periods of electricity availability and discharge high power when needed for cooking. Where off-peak pricing exists, batteries can store lower-cost electricity for later use. In off-grid settings, pairing batteries with renewable generation — such as solar PV, micro-hydro, or small wind — can provide reliable power for households and institutions. Across all scenarios, the paper emphasises the importance of correct battery sizing, charging and discharging regimes, and system design to ensure reliability, affordability, and sustainability. It reviews key technical considerations including depth of discharge, charge rates, lifecycle performance, maintenance needs, and cost trends, noting that battery prices continue to decline due to manufacturing scale and technological improvements.

The paper concludes that while viable markets may be geographically and socially specific, battery swapping for eCooking warrants further targeted trials and pilot programmes to better understand its financial, technical, and operational feasibility.

 This white paper is the result of a collaboration between Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), the Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) programme, and the Global Electric Cooking Coalition (GeCCo).