Kakamega e-Hub Launch

Modern Energy Cooking Services programme, in partnership with its Kenyan partners, has developed a series of e-hubs throughout four counties (Kisumu, Nakuru, Makueni, and Kitui), the most recent of which is the Kakamega e-Hub. Making them a total of five eCooking centers. Kakamega e-hub was opened on June 8, 2023, in Kakamega town’s Lurambi Youth Empowerment Center in conjunction with the Clean Cooking Association of Kenya (CCAK), Kenya Power, Gamos East Africa, African Center for Technology Studies, and the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum. The goal of the eCooking hubs is to promote clean energy solutions to end users in the country, to provide learning platforms about eCooking solutions and technologies, as well as the factors influencing clean energy adoptions, and to collaborate with relevant actors in the sector to produce solutions that meet the demand of end users. more information on the launch may be found on this blog.

KNCCS and KNeCS Stakeholder Engagements Continue…

A series of stakeholder meetings have been taking place in relation to the development of Kenya National Clean Cooking and eCooking strategies (KNCCS, KNeCS) and other pieces of work that will contribute to the strategy. The most recent was the 2nd Consultant’s Convening Workshop on August 10, 2023. The meeting’s goal was to offer an update on the various studies, their progress, and significant messages emanating from the various studies as the strategy creation process neared completion.

Stakeholder Engagement on the Need for Regulatory Framework for eCooking Appliances

On the 2nd of August 2023, Dr Jon Leary Senior Research Associate at Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) joined the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum (MoEP), Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), The Kenya Bureau of Kenya (s (KEBS), GIZ, Office of the first lady (OFL), Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA) and Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) attended the stakeholder engagement on the need for regulatory framework for eCooking appliances organized by The Clean Cooking Association of Kenya  (CCAK)  at the Panari Hotel Nairobi. The stakeholder discussion on framework regulation was driven by the pressing need for a robust and comprehensive set of regulations. standards, regulations, norms, and recommendations to assist Kenya in considerably improving access to electric cooking solutions, addressing current obstacles, and fostering good results in terms of public health, environmental sustainability, and equitable access to safe and efficient cooking technology.

eCooking Digital Engagement Competition

The first eCooking competition in Kenya took place in July, organized by Kisambara Ventures and Kenya Power. This competition brought together chefs, competing to produce a range of dishes based on a variety of recipes. 6 competitors took part in the competition. Following a round of eliminations, 3 echefs went through to the final round of the competition and were tasked with using 4 different cooking appliances including an air-fryer, rice cooker, EPC, and induction burner. The competition was useful for demonstrating the use of various appliances for cooking and all the possibilities therein.

Kicking Off Institutional eCooking Project at IESR with Large EPCs and Rice Cookers

The Capacity Building and Market Development Project on institutional eCooking were launched in August with the introduction of large-scale eCooking appliances at the Kenya Power Institute for Energy Studies and Research (IESR). These include two large-scale rice cookers, three 40-liter EPCS, and a 21-liter EPC. These appliances will be used to prepare meals for students and staff at the IESR kitchen and will be connected to smart energy meters that will collect data on energy consumption during the preparation of meals. The information gathered is expected to add to a growing body of evidence about the use of electricity for cooking within institutions.

Devolution Conference 2023

The Council of Governors (CoG) held its 8th Devolution Conference 2023 in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, from the 15th to the 19th of August 2023. The conference’s topic is ‘10 Years of Devolution: The Present and the Future,’ with the sub-theme: Driving Transformation from the Local Level: County Governments as Economic Development Hubs. This year’s conference aimed to reflect on the previous decade of devolution and to investigate locally and globally recognized approaches for improving systems to improve transformative service delivery in counties.  This conference offered a venue for eCooking advocacy, as illustrated in the photographs below, with our Kenyan colleagues, Wairimu Njehia, facilitator of Pika na Power- (KPLC), and Danson Ligare Lung’ato, Director, Elite Pongamia Bioenergy Project Ltd, among others, demonstrating eCooking to guests. Danson was able to showcase eCooking to Governor Wamatangi (Kiambu) and Governor Kangata Irungu (Muranga) at their booth.

Blogs and Publications

The eCooking and eMobility revolutions are sweeping across Kenya, with Kenya Power, the nation’s electricity utility driving change in the kitchen, as well as on the road via the grid. Both industries sit at the centre of Kenya Power’s demand growth strategy, as both have the potential to simultaneously offer cost savings to the consumer, whilst stimulating demand for the utility’s almost entirely renewable electricity. However, in both sectors, upfront costs are a significant barrier constraining consumer demand. This blog tells the story of the development and piloting of an innovative consumer financing mechanism that could unlock this energy revolution at scale, the eCooking & eMobility Stima Loan.

This blog highlights some of the issues that emerged and lessons learned during the Pika na Power Academy. The Pika na Power Academy aimed to offer aspiring e-Cooking champions the skills and experience they need to turn ideas into viable business opportunities that can accelerate the uptake of e-Cooking across the country.

Featured Image: Stakeholders group photo at the launch of Kakamega eCooking hub. Photo Credit: Sophy Okova (KPLC).