AEC, (B)energy Partner to Launch ccCASH Clean Cooking Finance Mechanism in Africa

Africa continues to face a profound clean cooking crisis, with more than 200 million households still dependent on traditional, polluting fuels such as firewood, charcoal and kerosene.

The African Energy Chamber (AEC) has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with (B)energy, the developer behind the innovative ccCASH initiative, to create a continent-wide mechanism for financing clean cooking solutions. The partnership marks a transformational step toward empowering households as central actors in Africa’s energy transition.

Africa continues to face a profound clean cooking crisis, with more than 200 million households still dependent on traditional, polluting fuels such as firewood, charcoal and kerosene. These fuels contribute to deforestation, indoor air pollution, severe health risks—especially for women and children—and increased greenhouse gas emissions. Although clean cookstove programmes have expanded in recent years, uptake remains limited due to fragmented financing models, insufficient incentives and constrained access to climate finance.

A New Clean Cooking Currency: ccCASH

Under the MOU, the AEC and (B)energy will elevate ccCASH as a continent-wide “clean cooking currency.” The initiative rewards households directly for verified climate, health and social benefits derived from adopting clean cooking technologies. By shifting away from project-based carbon certification models, the ccCASH system channels climate finance directly to users, generating immediate and tangible household-level impact.

Structured as a technology-neutral, digital platform, ccCASH enables monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of emissions reductions and co-benefits across multiple clean cooking solutions, including:

• Biogas systems

• Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)

• Ethanol stoves

• Electric cooking technologies

This open and inclusive design ensures that small-scale technology providers, service companies and low-income households—often excluded from conventional carbon markets—can participate meaningfully.

Joint Roles and Vision

Through this strategic partnership:

• AEC will promote ccCASH across its pan-African network, aligning it with national energy transition, climate and clean cooking policies.

• (B)energy will lead platform development, technical deployment and engagement with governments, development partners and the private sector.

The initiative aims to anchor ccCASH as a long-term vehicle for mobilising climate finance while strengthening clean cooking ecosystems across Africa.

Leaders’ Statements

AEC Executive Chairman NJ Ayuk highlighted the critical financing dimensions of the clean cooking challenge:

“Clean cooking is not just a technology challenge – it is an income, incentives and financing challenge. ccCASH delivers a scalable, African-driven pathway to mobilize climate finance while generating measurable social, economic and climate benefits.”

(B)energy CEO Katrin Puetz celebrated the partnership as a turning point:

“Partnering with the African Energy Chamber is a defining moment for ccCASH. It gives us the platform to scale a new mindset in the clean cooking sector while bringing together energy and mining companies, governments and development partners.”

Climate Commitments and Investment Potential

By aggregating verified household-level impact, ccCASH strengthens government climate commitments, including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). It also opens new opportunities for:

• Private sector climate investment

• ESG-aligned initiatives

• High-integrity Article 6-compliant climate finance

• Corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes

The initiative’s long-term vision is to establish ccCASH as a robust, continent-wide mechanism that accelerates clean cooking adoption, expands service delivery ecosystems and delivers inclusive environmental and economic benefits.

Next Steps: High-Level Webinar in Early 2026

In early 2026, the AEC and (B)energy will convene a high-level webinar bringing together corporates, investors, governments and development partners. The session will outline pathways to participate in pilot projects, co-investment opportunities and national-scale rollouts—positioning ccCASH as a practical entry point for climate finance directly linked to household-level impact across Africa.

Tags: