About one billion people in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) still cook with polluting biomass fuels and technologies such as charcoal and firewood burned in rudimentary stoves.

The research takes forward the conceptual approach described as socio-technical innovation systems building, which was developed on the basis of in-depth historical analysis at Sussex on the solar home systems markets in Kenya and Tanzania.

Among the barriers to scaling up mini-grids in Africa are a lack of mini-grid-specific regulatory framework, unproven business models, demand uncertainty, limited access to finance, and lack of capacity.

Campaigns for electric cooking adoption have primarily focused on high- and middle-income households, but targeting low-income households is crucial. eCooking could have a much more significant social impact in informal urban settlements.

The study focused on the integration of centralised and decentralised energy systems, specifically examining the role of governance structures and decision-making processes, power dynamics among various stakeholders and institutions.

KNeCS focuses on how energy-efficient eCooking technologies can be scaled-up in Kenya with the intended impacts of minimising the drudgery and health risks associated with the use of solid fuels for cooking, improving environmental sustainability.

Access to such energy systems remains a significant challenge for informal settlements in the Global South—commonly known as ‘slums’, inhibiting their ability to overcome poverty and develop resilience to unforeseen shocks and vulnerabilities.