Bhubaneswar, Ap 7: In the midst of LPG shortages affecting households and businesses, a Bhubaneswar café is testing a solar-powered cooking system developed by scientists from Odisha University of Technology and Research (OUTR).

Guided by Prof. Sudhanshu Sekhar Sahu, the innovation uses solar energy to run a coil heater and induction cooker. By day, it operates on direct current (DC) from solar panels, and by night, stored energy is converted into alternating current (AC), enabling round-the-clock cooking.

Golden Brew Café is currently trialing the system, preparing dishes like biryani and pulao. While a 2 kW solar setup is usually adequate, the café installed a 3 kW system to handle higher demand.

Experts note that the system requires a one-time investment and can deliver long-term savings, making it a sustainable alternative to LPG and a boost for clean energy adoption.