Assessing the transition in commercial cooking fuels: An energy, economic, and environmental analysis of LPG and electricity in Malaysia

• Energy Efficiency : LPG-fueled equipment consumes 38 % more energy compared to electric-fueled equipment, with thermal efficiencies of 66 % for LPG and 97 % for electric. • Cost Advantage : Over 10 years, LPG-fueled equipment incurs a 4.1 % higher annual cost than electric, with reinvestment costs of 61.6 % for LPG versus 16.1 % for electric. • Operational Risks : LPG-fueled equipment poses higher operational risks, including safety issues from LPG tank handling, compared to electric-powered equipment. • Environmental Impact : LPG-fueled equipment produces 46.9 % fewer emissions than electric equipment due to Malaysia’s coal-based generation mix but transporting LPG via diesel trucks increases carbon emissions. • Policy Implications : Transitioning to electric equipment in commercial restaurants, combined with renewable energy integration, is essential for Malaysia’s energy transition and emission reduction goals by 2030 and net-zero by 2050. Commercial restaurant buildings stand out as significant consumers of energy. In Malaysia, commercial restaurant buildings have access to both cooking fuel types: liquified petroleum gas and electricity. This paper analyses the potential for an energy transition for commercial restaurants by analyzing the energy, economic, and environmental impact of liquified petroleum gas-fuelled and electric-fuelled equipment. It is found that liquified petroleum gas equipment has approximately 38 % higher energy consumption but only 0.8 % higher energy cost compared to electric. Liquified petroleum gas equipment efficiency is 66 %, while electric equipment performance scores 97 % using the water boiling test. The life-cycle cost analysis reveals that electric fuel equipment could save up to USD 63,045.20 in cost while reducing greenhouse gas emissions with applied strategies. Hence, a new energy policy is proposed to create a strategic energy transition for Malaysia's electricity generation mix to accelerate the Nation’s carbon emission reduction goal by 2030.