Beyond Irrigation: Turning sunlight into supper for Kenya's women and farmers. A pilot of secondary use of solar irrigation power for clean cooking
International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)
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Abstract: This pilot study examines the use of electric pressure cookers powered by solar technology in Kenya, investigating whether surplus electricity from solar-powered irrigation systems can be harnessed to provide clean cooking solutions to smallholder farmers. The research, conducted as a randomized control trial with 242 SunCulture customers in Kenya, assesses the potential for secondary use of solar pump batteries to replace polluting cooking fuels such as wood, charcoal, and kerosene. The study addresses the critical public health issue of indoor air pollution from traditional cooking methods, which disproportionately affects women and children in sub-Saharan Africa, where access to clean cooking remains limited. Findings demonstrate that secondary use of solar irrigation systems for clean cooking is technically feasible and can improve household energy access and health outcomes for rural farmers and their families.