BURN, a prominent clean cooking and carbon project company in Africa, has introduced its latest line of technologically advanced electric cooking (e-cooking) products.

These offerings, the ECOATM Electric Induction Cooker and the ECOATM Electric Pressure Cooker, mark the continent's initial locally-designed and assembled modern e-cooking options.

Transitioning from cooking with charcoal to BURN's e-cooking products can lead to an annual decrease of up to 4 tons of CO2 emissions for users, equivalent to the amount of CO2 that 200 fully grown trees can absorb within a year.

“Transitioning households that rely on charcoal to e-cooking represents a massive opportunity to democratize access to zero-indoor-emission cooking for low-income households. Not only are we introducing a new line of revolutionary e-cooking appliances, but also products that are designed for local cooking practices with regional after-sales support and service,” Peter Scott, Founder and CEO of BURN.

Mr Scott said the products incorporate Internet-of-Things (IoT) sensors that facilitate comprehensive management of the entire customer experience, encompassing real-time energy usage monitoring.

The availability of these products has commenced in Kenya and is set to expand to an additional five African countries by the end of the year.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, a significant portion of the population, approximately 950 million individuals, still rely on wood or charcoal for their cooking needs, often resorting to open fires or inefficient stoves.

This practice of using polluting fuels yields various detrimental effects on socioeconomic factors, gender dynamics, health, and the environment. Of particular concern, the demand for wood fuel significantly contributes to deforestation in Africa, which subsequently constitutes around 3% of global emissions – a percentage equivalent to the emissions from the aviation sector.

BURN's latest products are set to transform cooking practices across Africa, presenting families with a more economical and sustainable cooking solution.

To ensure accessibility for households with lower incomes, BURN has introduced an innovative "pay as you cook" financing alternative.

This option allows users to make small payments through their mobile phones, enabling them to progressively acquire cooking devices with a modest initial payment and complete ownership within a year.

Mr Scott cited urban Kenya as an example, where about 1.2 million individuals survive on less than $2 per day, household that spends around $8 weekly on charcoal, users can potentially save roughly $3 per week on fuel costs, signifying an estimated 50% reduction in annual household fuel expenses.

He stated that BURN's notable reputation lies in crafting the most efficient natural-draft biomass stoves, exclusively manufactured in Kenya and dispersed throughout the continent.

Although they acknowledge the ongoing importance of enhanced cookstoves for rural households, Peter emphasized that electric cooking holds the key to the future of clean cooking in Africa.

“BURN is best known for creating the most fuel-efficient natural-draft biomass stoves, all made in Kenya and distributed across the continent. While we know improved cookstoves still have a critical role to play for rural families, the future of clean cooking in Africa is electric.”

The introduction of the e-cooking products comes after a three-year period of trial runs in Kenya and Tanzania, during which the adoption of BURN's e-cooking products demonstrated success.

An evaluation of pilot users, commissioned by BURN and conducted by 60 decibels, revealed promising outcomes.

In Kenya, Mr Scott indicated that 100% of users of BURN's electric stoves have managed to decrease or completely stopped using charcoal. Additionally, 93% reported an improvement in their quality of life, while 70% now predominantly rely on electricity for cooking the majority of their meals.

Cecilia Njenga, who participated in BURN's pilot program, shared her experience saying, that before, she used firewood and charcoal every day. The smoke caused severe headaches, a stuffy nose, and itchy eyes. With the ECOA Induction Cooker, my headaches have lessened, and I don't experience teary eyes or a stuffy nose anymore.

“Previously, I would use three bags of charcoal in a day, amounting to 210 Kenyan shillings. It was lot to pay for. Now, what I used to spend for one day, I can use over 3-5 days.” Cecilia's story underscores the positive impact of BURN's e-cooking solutions on health and cost savings.

BURN intends to utilize carbon financing to expand its e-cooking initiatives on a large scale. Through carbon financing, BURN cannot only lower product expenses but also provide support for electricity costs in areas where electricity is more expensive.

To ensure the authenticity of carbon credits, BURN's carbon projects will be assessed using the Gold Standard's updated metered approach, which includes real-time monitoring of stove usage.

This approach ensures the delivery of reliable and high-quality carbon credits.

Since 2011, the company has manufactured and provided almost 4 million environmentally-friendly cookstoves.

This has brought about positive changes in the lives of more than 20 million individuals and prevented 14 million tons of CO2 emissions from being released into the atmosphere.