The Potential for Enterprise Level eCooking in Nepal

Nepal possesses abundant hydropower potential for electricity generation, presenting an opportunity to promote electricity as a modern cooking fuel for enterprises. Transitioning to electric cooking can help Nepal achieve its Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets, improve the well-being of cooks with safer options, and strengthen the nation’s energy security. Reducing dependence on LPG imports would also mitigate the risks of supply disruptions, price fluctuations/hikes, offering economic benefits. Thus, a shift to eCooking at the enterprise level holds substantial advantages from both a national and utility perspective. Within this context, this study focusses on identifying the opportunities and challenges for enterprise level transitions to eCooking.

The research assesses the extent of a possible shift to eCooking within enterprises and the assistance required for enabling transitions. For this study, a total of 162 enterprises across 5 enterprise categories (89 restaurants, 21 hotels, 19 canteens, 14 café/bakery shops, and 19 banquets) were surveyed inside the Kathmandu valley. Six ethnographic studies, a market survey and one focus group discussion were also conducted. Overall, the research findings indicate clear opportunities for electric cooking transitions in enterprises. A majority of the respondents from restaurants (70.8%), hotels (57.1%), canteens (57.9%), banquet (73.7%) and cafés/bakeries (78.6%) considered eCooking beneficial while most restaurants (52.8%), hotels (52.4%), and cafes (85.7%) stated their willingness to transition to eCooking although the percentage of canteens and banquets was less in comparison (26.3% and 31.6% respectively). In addition, most enterprises already used Cooking in some form, with the findings indicating larger transitions are feasible.