Project Surya: Reduction of Air Pollution and Global warming by Cooking with Renewable SourcesV. Ramanathan and K. Balakrishnan, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute, Chennai, India
Project Surya will deploy inexpensive solar and other energy-efficient cookers in rural India and document their role in reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and soot. Carbon dioxide and elemental carbon in soot, two by-products of fossil fuel combustion, biofuel cooking and biomass burning contribute as much as 70% to the global warming. In addition, soot has well-documented detrimental effects on human health, agricultural productivity, and water budgets at local, regional and global scales.
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