Solar Cookers in India

Most popular in India are the box type solar cookers with a single reflecting mirror being promoted by the Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources since 1982. These cookers are manufactured mainly by small/tiny industries to a set of specifications developed by MNES, later approved by Bureau of Indian Standards. There is an estimated potential demand of 10 million solar cookers in this country. In India a major portion of the market is covered by box type cooker and a small portion of the market share is taken up by community type box cooker/parabolic type cooker. Manufacturers intending to manufacture and market solar cookers under the subsidy scheme have to compulsorily get the cooker tested and certified by an authorized test center. There are about 40 manufacturers whose combined annual production capacity is 75000 solar cookers.

These cookers have proved immensely popular in the rural areas where women spend a lot of time foraging for firewood.