The African Energy Chamber has signed a memorandum of understanding with (B)energy, the developer of the ccCASH initiative, to create a continent-wide mechanism that directs climate finance to African households using clean cooking technologies.
The partnership seeks to address a persistent energy challenge. More than 200 million African households still rely on polluting fuels such as firewood, charcoal and kerosene, according to industry estimates.
While clean cookstove programs have expanded in recent years, adoption has lagged because of limited access to finance, weak household incentives and fragmented carbon market structures.
Under the agreement, ccCASH will be positioned as a pan-African clean cooking currency that rewards households directly for verified climate, health and social benefits generated by cleaner cooking solutions.
The model is designed to move beyond project-based carbon certification and channel payments to end users based on measured impact.
The ccCASH platform provides a digital system to monitor, report and verify emissions reductions and related social benefits across a range of technologies, including biogas, liquefied petroleum gas, ethanol and electric cooking.
Its technology-neutral approach is intended to support smaller providers and service companies that are often excluded from traditional carbon markets.
The African Energy Chamber will promote the initiative across its network and align it with national energy transition and clean cooking strategies. (B)energy will lead platform development and engage with governments, development partners and private investors.
“Clean cooking is not just a technology challenge. It is an income, incentives and financing challenge,” said NJ Ayuk, executive chairman of the African Energy Chamber.
(B)energy Chief Executive Katrin Puetz said the partnership would help scale new financing models while engaging companies, governments and development partners.
The initiative is positioned to support national climate commitments, including nationally determined contributions, while attracting private investment and environmental, social and governance-linked finance.
