The Clean Cooking Week is used to promote awareness, innovations, and partnerships geared toward improving Kenya’s clean cooking sector.
Some of the various clean cooking technologies and fuels recommended include bioethanol cookstoves, biogas, electric induction cookers, solar stoves, and improved cookstoves for firewood and charcoal.
A clean cookstove is designed to ensure maximum efficiency, eliminating the use of biomass-polluting fuels like firewood, charcoal, coal, and kerosene.
According to the World Health Organization, clean cookstoves significantly reduce emissions of harmful particulate matter (PM2.5) and carbon monoxide, improving air quality and protecting users' health.
Kenya is hosting the annual Clean Cooking Week from October 21 to 25, 2024, at the KCB Grounds in Kajiado.
Organized by the Clean Cooking Association of Kenya (CCAK) and the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum (MoEP), the event is part of a broader effort to achieve universal access to clean cooking energy by 2028.
This year’s event brings together key stakeholders, including government agencies, development partners, and private sector players, to discuss and showcase technologies and fuels that will help ensure a safe and environmentally friendly transition to clean cooking.
The government, through the Kenya National Cooking Transition Strategy, aims to reduce the harmful health and environmental impacts of traditional cooking methods, such as the use of firewood, charcoal, and kerosene.
What is an improved cookstove (ICS)
An improved cookstove is a more efficient version of traditional stoves, incorporating design features that enhance fuel efficiency, reduce smoke, and improve safety.
They are particularly valuable for rural households that rely on firewood.
Is charcoal a clean fuel?
Charcoal is not considered a clean fuel because it emits carbon monoxide, which can be deadly in poorly ventilated environments.
Although it has a higher energy content than wood, its environmental impact is more destructive due to the emissions produced.
Road to Universal Access to Clean Cooking.
The Kenya National Cooking Transition Strategy lays out an ambitious roadmap to achieve universal access to clean cooking solutions by 2028.
The strategy targets a multifuel mix that includes 50% LPG, 30% bioethanol, 10% electric cooking, 3% biogas, and 7% low-emission sustainable biomass (briquettes and pellets).
The following are types of clean cooking technologies and fuels
Bioethanol Cookstoves: This is a stove that is made in a way that ensures maximum efficiency and eliminates the use of biomass-polluting fuels.
These stoves are recommended because they offer faster cooking times, reducing the need for people to spend extended hours in the kitchen.
Biogas: A renewable resource, biogas is continuously produced and used, ensuring a steady supply of energy.
It offers multiple benefits, including reduced time spent cooking and improved health due to fewer indoor emissions.
Biogas stoves also help mitigate deforestation and environmental degradation.
Electric Induction Cookers: These cookers offer energy efficiency and consistent cooking temperatures.
They heat food faster while using less electricity, saving users both time and money. The reduced electricity consumption also makes them environmentally friendly.
Electric Pressure Cookers: Similar to induction cookers, electric pressure cookers offer more efficient cooking with less energy use, making them a cost-effective and eco-friendly option.
A dry and cooked cereal businesswoman, Margaret Wambui, shares how her electric pressure cooker improved her business.
“Work is better, more efficient, and I am at peace as I can work and take care of my baby while at it,” Wambui says.
Improved Cookstoves (for firewood and charcoal): These stoves are designed to use less fuel, which reduces harmful emissions and lessens the burden on the environment.
They are also more energy-efficient and safer for users, as they emit less smoke, decreasing the risk of respiratory and heart diseases.
Improved cook stove producer Charity Gachanja, who was producing only 20 stoves a month, now produces up to 3,000 monthly with the help of the project.
"Improved cook stoves have helped me save wood fuel and improve my livelihood," Gachanja says.
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Cookstoves: LPG stoves produce less smoke, leading to improved indoor air quality.
They are efficient and safe for households, providing a clean alternative to firewood and charcoal.
Solar Cookstoves: Powered by the sun, these stoves reduce reliance on wood and charcoal, which helps conserve forests.
Solar cookers are particularly useful in sunny regions, providing an environmentally friendly and cost-free cooking option.
Briquette Stoves: Using waste materials like charcoal dust and coffee husks, briquettes are a sustainable and efficient fuel source.
Briquette stoves produce less smoke and eye irritation while reducing the risk of respiratory diseases and fires.
Gasifier Stoves: These stoves use pellets or other biomass in a way that maximizes combustion efficiency, minimizing harmful emissions.
Experts from the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum emphasized the importance of transitioning to clean cooking solutions for the health and prosperity of future generations.
"Currently, millions of Kenyans, especially women and children, are exposed to harmful smoke from traditional cooking methods,” Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi said.
“We are committed to reversing this trend through a multi-pronged approach.”
The Ministry is focused on fostering public-private partnerships, promoting local manufacturing, and raising awareness about clean cooking solutions.
“We aim to achieve universal access by 2028, and together we can create a sustainable future where cooking is enjoyable for all Kenyan households,” added the CS.
Principal Secretary Wachira highlighted the role of the Kenya National Cooking Transition Strategy, which outlines four key actions: bridging the supply gap, lowering appliance costs, promoting local manufacturing, and reframing the narrative around clean cooking.
Kenya’s partnership with Germany plays a crucial role in achieving clean cooking goals.
Through initiatives like the Energising Development (EnDev) project, Germany has helped over 9.5 million Kenyans gain access to clean cooking solutions, avoiding over 3 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions.
German Ambassador Sebastian Groth commended the partnership.
“The strong bond between Kenya and Germany is a blueprint example of the global partnerships we need. Tackling climate change and improving energy access go hand in hand,” he said.
