EKI Energy Services Ltd. (EKI) is announced today that its indoor solar cooking device ‘Surya Nutan’ distribution project for tribal and underprivileged regions of India is now being supported by a pilot grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). The grant will support the implementation of Surya Nutan pilot projects in a few districts in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
Developed and patented by Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and manufactured by Nashik-based plant of GHG Reductions Technologies – a subsidiary of EKI, Surya Nutan replaces traditional mud-stoves or three-stones stove. It performs almost all functions of the traditional open fire cookstove, like boiling, steaming, frying, and even making chapatis; minus the smoke and indoor pollution. It works on solar energy and doesn’t require maintenance, which makes it an ideal clean cooking technology for the underprivileged. Surya Nutan combines solar PV, thermal storage, and grid power connection.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also previously touted the then novel ‘Surya Nutan’ at India Energy Week 2023, mentioning that “in the next few years, solar cook-top will reach three crore households.”
Chairman and Managing Director, EKI Energy Services Ltd, Manish Dabkara, said, “We are really amped-up to receive this support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. 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.”
This grant will enable EKI to assess the socio economic impacts of Surya Nutan distribution in these regions, along with the distribution itself. With data on factors like reduced indoor air pollution, improved health outcomes, and enhanced livelihoods, a deeper understanding of the device’s potential to address equity in clean energy access will be possible.
Surya Nutan is a revolutionary green and clean cooking solution developed by IndianOil Corporation Ltd, which is transforming the lives by providing sustainable , smokeless and flameless way of cooking . Surya Nutan has the potential to improve the lives of millions of people by reducing indoor air pollution, promoting health, and empowering communities.
EKI has already rolled out 350 Surya Nutan cookers in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district to the underprivileged and tribal families, before the grant. The distribution kicked off in January this year, making Dhar the starting point of this eco-friendly cooking transformation.
About EKI Energy Services Ltd.:
EKI Energy Services Ltd. is a leading Carbon Mitigation Project Developer & Offests Supplier across the globe. It is the first ever company to list a Plastic Project from India with Verra – a global accreditation standard located in Washington, USA. Founded in 2008, the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) listed company has been passionately working towards rehabilitating the planet to a future of net-zero carbon emissions. EKI offers sustainable solutions for climate change and carbon offsets with global standards like CDM, VCS, Gold Standard, GCC, IREC, TIGR and others. With an aim to contribute to the development of a climate resilient global economy, the company offers strategic solutions to businesses and organizations globally to achieve their climate ambition. EKI offerings span across Carbon Credit/Asset Management, Carbon Credit Generation, Carbon Credit Supply, Carbon Credit Offsetting, Carbon Footprint Management, Sustainability Audits, as well as Carbon Neutrality and Climate Positive initiatives. The company is present in 16+ countries and has 3500+ customers across 40+ countries. As on date, EKI has supplied over 200+ million offsets.
