Induction Cooking

With more than a 70% market share, gas ranges are the most prevalent cooking method in California single- and multifamily homes. Gas stoves have been promoted for years, despite their inefficiency and the increased awareness of gas cooking’s negative impact on a home’s indoor air quality.

Induction cooking devices offer an alternative to gas cooking, however, delivering ~85% of the energy they consume to heat the food directly compared to ~32% for gas, according to the ENERGY STAR® program.

Cooking represents the highest profile end-use in an all-electric home and serves as a linchpin technology to full electrification for the State of California. In coordination with California’s decarbonization goals and targeted reduction in natural gas usage, induction cooking is an efficient, safe, superior way of cooking that does not compromise indoor air quality.

Illustration of a man cooking bacon on a stovetop in a modern kitchen.

CalMTA’s Induction Cooking market transformation initiative (MTI) seeks to grow market adoption of these efficient and affordable alternatives in Californians’ kitchens. Barriers to that adoption include higher product purchase cost due to the predominance of premium products, needed technical improvements on some models, and the cultural associations of cooking traditional dishes over an open flame.

CalMTA is planning strategic interventions to meet these barriers. These include engaging manufacturers to develop lower-priced models and building awareness about the benefits of induction by deploying consumer education campaigns, which will include demonstrations, in partnerships with current programs, community-based organizations (CBOs), and local governments.

They also include working to ensure that induction stoves are accessible and affordable in environmental and social justice (ESJ) communities. This will require partnering with community-based organizations and carefully planned strategy pilot studies to understand the manufacturer, supplier, construction, and consumer voices in ESJ communities.

We envision that all new homes in California will be built with electric induction cooktops and most sales of all cooktops sold in the State will utilize induction technology. Read the Induction Cooking MTI Plan FAQs to learn more. 

Market Transformation Initiative Status

The Induction Cooking MTI was submitted for application to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in December 2024. Upon approval, the MTI would advance to Phase III: Market Deployment.

Graphic illustrating the phased development process of market transformation initiatives.
MTI poised to advance to Phase III pending approval of the Application from the CPUC

FEATURED REPORT

Induction Cooking MTI Plan

CalMTA’s Room Heat Pumps (RHP) Market Transformation Initiative (MTI) aims to accelerate market adoptions of room heat pumps to provide efficient heating and cooling in existing small, single family, and multifamily households.

Want to learn more about the Induction Cooking MTI Plan?

Related Resources

The California Market Transformation Administrator (CalMTA) develops and manages market transformation initiatives in the state to reduce energy use and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

CalMTA seeks to help meet California’s energy efficiency and decarbonization goals by accelerating adoption of energy-efficient products and practices through market transformation. Market transformation is a proven strategic process of intervening in a market to create lasting change.
Young Korean female chef working in restaurant kitchen

CalMTA follows a rigorous process for reviewing, scoring, and then developing relevant, timely market transformation initiatives. The process supports market transformation initiative creation from concept to program development to market deployment, as well as the eventual exiting of the market.

The Market Transformation Advisory Board (MTAB) provides expertise and unbiased, non-binding recommendations on CalMTA’s market transformation initiatives. Register here for an upcoming advisory board meeting.
Learn more about CalMTA’s planning and research on energy efficient technologies and our work to build California’s market transformation portfolio, and access quarterly and annual progress reports.
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