Podcast: Scaling Bioethanol

Hosted by Dr Helen Osiolo, Research Associate at MECS Programme

In this podcast, Scaling Bioethanol, we explore what it really takes to expand clean cooking solutions across Africa, through the voices of three major players: Consumer Choice Limited (CCL), KOKO Networks, and UNIDO.

• Consumer Choice Limited offers firsthand insights from the ground in Tanzania, highlighting the everyday realities of selling and distributing bioethanol stoves and fuel. From affordability and customer trust to supply chain challenges and repair services, their experience reveals the practical hurdles and opportunities in reaching households with clean cooking options.
• KOKO Networks shares how a private-sector-led approach is transforming access to clean fuel in Kenya and Rwanda. By building a reliable fuel distribution system and using carbon credits to make cooking affordable, KOKO demonstrates how innovation and scale can break the traditional fuel-stove market deadlock.
• UNIDO steps back to provide the broader policy and development perspective explaining why bioethanol matters for health, climate, and sustainable livelihoods. They discuss persistent barriers such as financing gaps, regulatory hurdles, and fragmented markets, and outline how targeted policies, partnerships, and investments are essential to moving the sector forward.

This podcast brings together local action, private innovation, and institutional strategy to paint a clear picture of the path toward scalable, sustainable clean cooking.

Tune in and listen to our podcast and find out what’s working, what’s still needed, and why bioethanol could be a game-changer: