Bhutan's Department of Energy is preparing a national clean cooking programme that would bring electric induction cookstoves to about 30,000 households. The rollout would be supported by carbon finance and targeted subsidies, building on a pilot that distributed IoT enabled stoves to 650 homes. The goal is to reduce reliance on imported LPG and firewood while cutting household emissions. The pilot used stoves from Australian supplier ATEC, with households contributing between Nu 1,000 and Nu 2,000. Real time energy data from the IoT meters is being used to build the case for carbon credits. The department is also exploring a technology swap where households surrender an LPG cylinder in exchange for an e cookstove. A full national rollout would depend on carbon market financing to bridge the upfront cost gap. The programme is part of Bhutan's broader energy security strategy and could eventually extend to commercial users like restaurants and hotels. Local assembly of cookstoves is also under consideration to lower costs and reduce supply chain risks.
