Key Carbon Ltd.

Partner Overview

Founded in 2010, BURN was created to save forests by revolutionizing the cookstove sector. While traditional, inefficient cookstoves can bankrupt families, damage their health, and destroy forests, BURN’s best-in-class cookstoves can save families money on fuel, limit indoor air pollution and protect forests. BURN is now Africa’s leading clean cooking company and one of the only carbon project developers to cover the full carbon value chain, from project design and in-house monitoring to credit issuance.

Headquartered in Kenya and with direct operations in 9 African countries, BURN employs 2,500 people across Africa. The company has made and distributed nearly 4.4 million clean cookstoves, transforming the lives of over 24 million people and preventing over 20 million tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere.

BURN’s impacts have been validated by Wharton & Chicago Booth, Yunus Social Business and Giving Green. BURN has been awarded many accolades, including winning the ‘Best Project Developer’ award for the energy efficiency category of the Environmental Finance VCM Rankings in 2023.

Geographic Reach of BURN’s Existing and Future Operations

BURN Stoves

BURN’s stoves have been independently verified by top research and academic institutions as having a transformative impact on peoples’ lives

Study of BURN Wood Stoves in Kenya:

$180 of savings per household annually
91% of customers report improved durability
99% of customers report improved kitchen safety
93% of customers now spend less time cooking

Study of BURN Wood Stoves in Kenya:

295% IRR for households
54 mins saved cooking every day
0.5 SD improved in self-reported health outcomes
99% of customers recommend BURN stoves

Our Projects with BURN

Key Carbon entered into a strategic partnership with BURN in 2022 to finance BURN’s global cookstove manufacturing and distribution operations in return for a share of carbon credits from the produced cookstoves. These carbon credits are technology-based avoidance credits. The stoves we fund will be distributed across 8-10 African countries including Somalia, Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Kenya, DRC, Mozambique, and Tanzania.

We currently have credits available for purchase from our Nigeria cookstoves project – you can purchase them directly from the Gold Standard Marketplace here; for larger purchases or to arrange multi-year offtake agreements please get in touch.

Impact Highlights

51.4 million

tonnes of carbon to be removed or avoided*

1,656,001

fuel-efficient cookstoves funded*

7.5 million

people with health benefits*

$1,818 million

in household savings*

*Estimated outcomes from projects financed by Key Carbon (or subject to binding financing arrangements) to date

Environmental Benefits:

In Africa, millions of people only have access to biomass or charcoal for cooking, driving high rates of deforestation. BURN charcoal and wood cookstoves reduce charcoal consumption by 64% and wood consumption by 71% respectively, slowing deforestation and preserving forests and biodiversity.
One BURN cookstove reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 4.46 tonnes of CO₂ on average per annum, therefore helping to combat climate change.

*SDGs to be confirmed by the respective carbon credit verification body

Social Benefits:

The use of open fires and solid fuels for cooking is one of the world’s most pressing health and environmental problems, directly impacting close to half the world’s population and causing more than 4 million premature deaths each year [1]. Additionally, traditional charcoal stoves are inefficient and smoky, creating health problems, and incurring high fuel costs.
BURN stoves allow for clean and smokeless cooking, contributing to improved kitchen and living conditions in homes, communities, and cities. The Jikokoa reduces indoor air pollution (smoke, particulate matter, and carbon monoxide) by 65%, resulting in a decrease in respiratory diseases, headaches, and itchy eyes
BURN stoves are highly efficient, cooking faster than traditional stoves and using less fuel. Women and children, particularly girls, are mostly responsible for cooking and procuring fuel. A more efficient cookstove allows them to dedicate more time to other productive tasks such as education, growing food, and other income-generating activities
The use of a BURN stove contributes to significant economic savings on household fuel costs. BURN wood stoves save on average $120 annually, and charcoal stoves save $180 annually. These savings promote poverty reduction and improve access to healthcare
BURN stoves also demonstrate long-term sustainability, with the highest cookstove lifetime (5-7 years for charcoal)
Hundreds of thousands of households in East Africa benefit from BURN’s super fuel-efficient biomass appliances, providing widespread access to cleaner and more affordable energy sources

[1] The Clean Cooking Alliance, https://cleancooking.org/the-issues/health/

*SDGs to be confirmed by the respective carbon credit verification body

Economic Benefits:

BURN has established operations in nine African countries. The joint venture with Key Carbon will finance BURN’s expansion plans globally
BURN’s local manufacturing facility in Ruiru, Kenya employs more than 400 people. In addition, its operations have created 200+ jobs for sales, marketing, distribution, and monitoring staff
Each Jikokoa distributed generates a staggering $1,000 return for society (Berkouwer, 2022)
BURN’s solar-powered facility in Nairobi has an existing production capacity of 3 million cookstoves per year and with Key Carbon’s support is expected to expand to 12 million per year by 2025

*SDGs to be confirmed by the respective carbon credit verification body

Testimonials

“The Jikokoa Xtra is a God-sent gift to my family. Before getting my Jiko, a whole sack of fuel lasted only a month when using the ordinary Jiko, but with the Jikokoa stove now the same sack lasts for close to four months. Thank you, Jikokoa.”

Nelly Kadeny

Kisii county

“Thanks to Jikokoa I now have a clean and smoke-free kitchen. This great Jiko has also helped my family save a lot. Previously, while using the ordinary Jikos I spent one hundred shillings daily, but with my Jikokoa I spent only fifty shillings for two days. God bless you.”

Rose Njambi

Kiambu

“Before purchasing a Jikokoa, I was using traditional charcoal stoves and my kid used to get sick every week. Now after buying a Jikokoa she has never been sick. Thank you, Jikokoa team.”

Caroline Mumbi

Kiambu

“Before buying a Jikokoa I was using traditional charcoal stoves which were not long-lasting, I would replace them after 2 months and this was too expensive and inconveniencing. Now with a Jikokoa I am sorted and have no smoke.”

Ruth Kibor

Uasin gishu

“Now I can cook comfortably from the house after buying a Jikokoa. With my old traditional charcoal stove, I used to cook outside because of the smoke and the soot, which was challenging during the rainy seasons.”

Teresia Njoroge

Kiambu

“This Jiko has been a miracle in my kitchen. Ever since you gave it to me, my children’s health has improved because we no longer use the paraffin and charcoal stove. Coughing and red eyes are long forgotten now.”

Jane Njeri

Dandora

Awards and Recognitions

Bloomberg New Energy Finance Award

Ashden Clean Energy for Women and Girls Award

Global LEAP Affordability Award:

Recognition as a Million Lives Club member