Amidst reports of LPG cylinder shortages in India, the use of induction stoves has increased. People are using different types of stoves for cooking. But are you aware of plug-and-play hydrogen cooking stoves? A company has introduced a compact, plug-and-play hydrogen cooking stove for homes and commercial kitchens. It generates its own fuel using water and electricity. It is developed by Greenvize, an Indian oil and natural gas company. This system consists of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer, which is installed directly into a standard cooking unit. Let’s learn about it.
Indian startup Greenvize has introduced a hydrogen-powered cooktop. Using this proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer, users can generate hydrogen from water with the turn of a knob and use the stove. It doesn’t require any gas storage or plumbing. It’s a self-contained cooking system. An electrolyzer is a technology or device that uses electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
It’s unique feature is that hydrogen is used as fuel for cooking. Furthermore, the system produces only water vapor instead of smoke. Furthermore, the machine also releases oxygen, purifying and refreshing the air around you.
Greenvize Director and Co-Founder Sanjeev Chaudhary explained that the stove starts as soon as it’s turned on. To produce hydrogen, the system requires approximately 100 ml of distilled or reverse osmosis (RO) water and approximately one kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity. This allows for continuous cooking for approximately six hours. The unit can also be connected to a rooftop solar panel.
Chaudhary explained that the system is designed so that the hydrogen-producing machine (electrolyzer) is directly connected to the stove. Hydrogen is produced immediately upon lighting the stove, without being stored in advance. This means the fuel is produced instantly and used immediately, eliminating the hassle of storage.
The company’s solution uses less electricity by converting electricity into hydrogen fuel. The company states that while both the induction stove and the Greenvize hydrogen cooking system use electricity, there are significant differences in their efficiency, flexibility, and real-world usability.
The company stated that its hydrogen cooking stove is designed in accordance with India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission, which helps move towards a sustainable and energy-secure future.
The single-burner hydrogen stove costs ₹105,000 (1,128 USD).
The double-burner version costs around 150,000 rupees (1,610 USD).
However, the system is a bit expensive and is currently unaffordable for the general public.