# 4.1.4 Cooking

In 2019 electric cooking consumed about 13 TWh or 4% of national electricity demand (and gas cooking a similar amount of energy). Total gas and electric domestic cooking energy has been declining since the 1970s, in part due to the increased use of microwave ovens. These are more efficient than conventional ovens since the microwaves heat the water molecules within the food rather than merely raising the temperature of the outside. With them has come an increased use of pre-prepared meals.

As with wet appliances, few breakthroughs in cooking technology seem likely in the foreseeable future.

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