Feasibility of E-Cooking Transition in Rohingya Refugee Camps and Host Communities: Summary

UNITAR, through the Global Platform for Action (GPA) on Sustainable Energy in Displacement Settings, in collaboration with IUCN and Practical Action (PA), conducted a study between 2024 and 2025 to assess the technical, operational, economic, and financial feasibility of introducing solar PV-powered e-cooking appliances in the Rohingya refugee and host community households. This document presents a high-level overview of findings from the e-cooking pilot and recommendations for future work.

This e-cooking feasibility research was delivered by the Global Platform for Action on Sustainable Energy in Displacement Settings – United Nations Institute for Training and Research (GPA-UNITAR) and partners (IUCN and Practical Action) as part of its work to identify sustainable and scalable energy delivery models in humanitarian settings. The study was funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) through the Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) programme. We extend our sincere thanks to UNHCR and IOM Bangladesh for their valuable review of the reports and continuous support throughout implementation. The findings of this research have directly informed the design of an upcoming e-cooking pilot, which will be implemented by Mercy Corps in the Rohingya refugee camps and host communities in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, under the Transforming Humanitarian Energy Access (THEA) programme, also funded by FCDO via the Transforming Energy Access (TEA) Platform managed by the Carbon Trust. Further updates on its implementation will be shared in due course. 

The full report will be available soon.