India can build on its clean cooking success by expanding decentralized biogas and electric cooking alongside liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and piped natural gas (PNG), according to a new report.
The report, India’s Clean Cooking Shift: Scaling Non-Fossil Fuel Solutions by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), finds that non-fossil options—particularly decentralized biogas and electric cooking—can work at scale if supported by finance, services, and targeted regulations.
“Building on the success of LPG, India now has an opportunity to gradually widen its clean cooking options by unlocking non-fossil fuel solutions alongside existing fuels,” said Sunil Mani, policy advisor at IISD. “A more diverse cooking energy mix can strengthen energy security, support climate goals, and help manage costs for both families and the government over time. The question is not whether LPG has worked—it clearly has. The question is how India builds on this success while gradually reducing long-term costs, import dependence, and emissions.”
Over the past decade, India has made major gains through flagship initiatives such as the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) and the rapid build-out of city gas distribution networks. LPG connections doubled from 16.6 crore in 2016 to over 33 crore in 2025, while domestic PNG connections grew from about 0.33 crore to over 1.6 crore. Yet 37% of Indian households still rely primarily on solid fuels for cooking.
Connection growth has also outpaced fuel use. Domestic LPG consumption grew by 48% between 2015–16 and 2023–24, and annual PNG consumption rose by only 11% between 2021–22 and 2023–24 despite a 40% rise in connections. The gap points to affordability constraints, particularly among low-income and rural households who are unable to rely on LPG or PNG as their primary cooking fuel.
While LPG has expanded access to cleaner cooking for millions of households, it has also increased India’s exposure to international fuel markets. India’s annual LPG consumption more than doubled between 2011–12 and 2024–25, rising from around 15 million metric tons to 31 million metric tons, with more than 93% of this growth met through imports. This reliance on imported fossil fuels heightens fiscal exposure to volatile global prices and raises long-term energy security concerns. The report finds that gradually scaling non-fossil alternatives alongside LPG and PNG offers a pathway to improved affordability, greater energy security, and alignment with India’s long-term climate commitments.
Field research in Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, and Delhi shows that decentralized biogas systems can provide a locally available renewable solution in rural areas.
Households adopting biogas reduced firewood use by about 70% annually, improving health and environmental outcomes. Users reported high satisfaction and minimal day-to-day maintenance challenges when reliable operations and maintenance networks and accessible financing are available. Prefabricated models performed well due to faster installation and lower maintenance needs.
Upfront costs remain the main barrier: even with a 40% capital subsidy, household contributions can be prohibitive for many households, stressing the value of additional financial support.
In urban and peri-urban areas, electric cooking is becoming an increasingly competitive option. At current prices, annual cooking costs are estimated at INR 6,800–6,900 annually for LPG or PNG, compared to INR 5,800–5,900 for electric cooking. This cost advantage persists even with a moderate increase in electricity tariffs.
Adoption of electric cooking remains limited due to high upfront appliance costs, cooking habit adaptation, reliable electricity supply concerns, and gaps in repair and maintenance services. Many households currently use electric cooking as a backup rather than a primary cooking option.
The analysis shows that scaling electric cooking in urban areas can reduce LPG demand and imports immediately, even before long-term impacts materialize. Under higher adoption scenarios, urban e-cooking could halve LPG demand by mid-century, significantly reducing import dependence while easing pressure on subsidy budgets.
“While the impact by 2030 may be modest, sustained adoption could deliver significant subsidy savings, potentially up to INR 2.4 trillion by 2050. Over time, these savings could be utilized to further support clean cooking consumption among low-income households,” Mani said.
The report recommends a sequenced and targeted approach to diversification, with LPG and PNG continuing to play a critical role as primary fuel while non- fossil options are scaled through focused policy support.
Key recommendations include:
- targeted incentives to lower upfront costs for electric cooking and biogas technologies.
- redirecting a small share of future LPG subsidy savings to support non-fossil cooking options for low-income households.
- integrating clean cooking diversification into India’s climate, energy security, and public health strategies.
- strengthening after-sales service and local capacity to ensure robust operation and maintenance and sustained adoption of non-fossil clean cooking solutions.
“India’s clean cooking story is a success—but it is also evolving. Including non-fossil cooking solutions now allows the country to protect past gains, reduce future risks, and align clean cooking with a net-zero, fiscally resilient energy system,” concludes Mani.
