Pellet potential – clean cooking in Zambia
Clean Cooking in Zambia
In 2025, Ener-G-Africa (EGA) launched a clean cooking pilot in Zambia to test whether locally made biomass pellets and high-efficiency stoves could replace charcoal in everyday homes. Working with community partners and the Modern Cooking Facility for Africa (MCFA), the project set out to measure what clean energy could mean for local families – from household budgets to health, convenience and the environment.
How pellet stoves work
Pellet gasifier stoves might look simple, but their impact runs deep. They use pellets made from agricultural waste such as maize stalks, elephant grass or sawdust as fuel. A small solar-powered fan controls the airflow, turning the pellets into a clean-burning gas that produces steady heat and very little smoke.
According to Silvia Nanyangwe, Project and Country Manager at Ener-G-Africa Zambia, this design makes a real difference.
“Because the fuel burns completely, there’s almost no smoke,” Nanyangwe explains.
When tested internationally, pellet stoves achieve Tier 4 to Tier 5 performance for efficiency and emissions. The tier system, developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and International Organization for Standardization, ranks cooking methods from Tier 1 (most polluting) to Tier 5 (cleanest and most efficient). Meeting Tier 4 or higher means the stove produces very little smoke and carbon monoxide, meeting WHO indoor air-quality standards.
Lessons from the Lusaka trials
To see how well the technology works in local homes, EGA launched a pilot project in Lusaka, with 40 households taking part, across a range of income levels and cooking habits.
The results surprised even the project team, with 97% of participants saying they preferred EGA’s FAB pellet stove to charcoal or electric options. They spoke about faster cooking times, less smoke and easier cleaning.
“The economic findings were just as striking,” says Nanyangwe. “Switching from charcoal to pellets cut household fuel costs by around half, saving families an average of ZMW 2 730 per year. At current pricing, a full FAB stove kit – which includes a solar panel and power bank for the fan and phone charging – pays for itself in only 21 weeks.”
More than a cooking tool
EGA’s work in Zambia is about more than replacing a fuel source. It’s helping reshape local economies and ecosystems.
The pellets are made locally from agricultural residues that would otherwise be burned or dumped. Farmers gain an extra income stream, and small-scale vendors are finding new opportunities in the clean-fuel value chain.
“At the same time, it reduces charcoal dependency without taking livelihoods away,” says Nanyangwe. “Many charcoal sellers are choosing to sell pellets instead. It’s cleaner work and a more sustainable income.”
Women leading the transition
Around 60% of participants in the Lusaka trials were women, most running households of four to six people. For them, the FAB stove offered more than savings – it offered more time to do other things.
“Women told us their kitchens were no longer filled with smoke, and that they could cook faster and spend the extra time on other activities,” Nanyangwe recalls. “When you add up those small changes across thousands of homes, the social impact is huge.”
EGA is also aiming for at least 50 % female employment across its Zambian retail shops and field-agent network. The company’s next step is to expand its clean-cooking ecosystem nationwide, building 20 shops, 100 community agents and two pellet factories in Chongwe and Mazambuka.
A practical path forward
For EGA, pellet technology represents an African-made solution to one of the continent’s toughest challenges – clean, affordable energy access. The stoves do not need imported fuel, costly subsidies or constant electricity supply. They simply turn local waste into local energy.
“The findings from Zambia show what is possible,” Nanyangwe says. “When you give people technology that fits their lives, they will choose it. Pellets make economic sense, they protect forests, and they help families breathe easier. That is what clean cooking should be about.”
Follow our journey
EGA’s work in Zambia is part of a broader mission to prove that Africa’s clean-energy transition can be driven from within – by its people, its resources and its ingenuity.
To learn more about pellet stove availability, partnerships or distribution in Zambia, please contact Elias Sakala, Sales & Distribution Coordinator, at Elias.Sakala@ener-g-africa.com or +260 972 703 306.
Follow our journey and stay connected for updates from EGA projects across the continent on the EGA LinkedIn Page.
