Is induction cooking facing barriers in developing countries? An empirical analysis using people's perception in Nepal

Induction stove is a promising cooking technology due to its emission-free, safe, and high efficiency. However, its adoption in developing countries faces significant barriers. Existing studies have significantly analysed barriers to cooking energy and technology, but have overlooked those specific to induction cooking. Moreover, no comparative analysis using multiple multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) models has assessed the robustness of different tools. Past studies also mainly rely on expert opinions only, often neglecting household perspectives. This study identifies and ranks the primary barriers to induction cooking adoption in Nepal, based on the perceptions of both experts and households. Drawing on literature review and expert consultations from academia and non-governmental organisations, 21 barriers were identified and grouped into five categories. These barriers were prioritised separately by 47 experts and 220 induction stove user households. Experts compared the barriers using the Saaty scale, and their inputs were analysed through the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP). While both methods rank alternatives based on expert judgements, FAHP incorporates fuzzy logic to better capture uncertainty and human subjectivity. Meanwhile, households prioritised barriers using ranking-based frequency analysis. Sensitivity analysis showed FAHP to be the most effective decision-making tool compared to AHP due to stable and reliable rankings. FAHP-based expert rankings revealed the economic criterion as the most influential category, with poor electrical wiring/metering ranked as the top barrier by 51.19 % of experts. Conversely, household rankings indicated improper peak load management as the most critical barrier, cited by 38.6 % of respondents. Both groups highlighted technical barriers as a significant challenge to the adoption of induction cooking. The study recommends retrofitting traditional metering systems to 15A connections with dedicated power outlets and safety mechanisms, helping policymakers and utilities in supporting clean and sustainable cooking solutions in Nepal.