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Carbon Credit Financing Emerges as Africa’s Biggest Bet for Expanding Clean Cooking – WTOP News
Carbon credit deals are helping firms cut stove prices, and one company says it has distributed more than 7.3 million cookstoves in 11 countries.
In June, The International Energy Agency announced Africa secured $900 million in new financial commitments towards clean cooking technologies, with more than 30 governments introducing 121 new policies since 2015.
Carbon financing transformed expensive clean-energy products into affordable options, said Peter Scott, CEO of BURN, as investors provide upfront capital to subsidize retail prices in exchange for future carbon credit revenue.
For Nairobi resident Mary Kavutha, carbon subsidies reduced stove costs from about $40 to $5, while her daily cooking fuel expenses dropped from $1.15 to 80 cents.
George Mwaniki, WRI Kenya representative, cautioned that relying solely on carbon credits could slow manufacturing and distribution, since "carbon finance generally comes after the investment required."
Nearly 1 billion Africans still rely on charcoal or firewood, contributing to about 850,000 deaths annually; industry leaders now employ Bluetooth monitoring and digital verification to strengthen project credibility.