AfDB Backs $4M Program to Expand Clean Electric Cooking in Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia
The African Development Bank’s Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) has announced a $4 million reimbursable grant to support the Burn Electric Cooking Expansion Program (BEEP), aimed at reducing charcoal dependence in Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia by making clean electric cooking affordable and accessible to low-income households.
Implemented by Burn, a Kenyan clean cookstove company, BEEP will distribute 115,000 Burn ECOA Electric Induction Cookers to grid-connected households currently relying on charcoal for cooking. The program uses an innovative financing model that combines carbon credit sales in the voluntary market with pay-as-you-go plans, significantly lowering upfront costs for users.
Funded through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) capitalized by a $5 million loan from the Spark+ Africa Fund, the $4 million SEFA grant, and $1 million equity from Burn Manufacturing Company, the initiative integrates carbon finance with clean energy technology. Revenues from carbon credits will be shared among investors, enhancing the program’s financial sustainability.
Dr. Daniel Schroth, Director for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency at the African Development Bank, highlighted the program’s significance: “This is the Bank’s first carbon finance transaction of its kind, with SEFA playing a vital role in mitigating risks and enabling sustainable growth.”
The program aligns with SEFA’s focus on energy efficiency and supports the Bank’s Mission 300 Initiative and New Deal on Energy for Africa, which aim to provide universal energy access through low-carbon solutions.
Peter Scott, Founder and CEO of Burn, said, “This catalytic investment will help scale our IoT-enabled induction stoves, offering zero-emission, digitally monitored alternatives to charcoal and wood for millions of households.”
Beyond environmental and health benefits, BEEP is expected to stimulate job creation and strengthen local supply chains in all three countries, contributing to a cleaner and more prosperous future across East and Southern Africa.
