From costly charcoal to smart cooking, how a young Ugandan Enterprise is making clean energy affordable

For years, Jian Namuhenge spent nearly Shs 80,000 every month on charcoal. Like millions of Ugandans, she relied on a traditional charcoal stove for daily cooking, unaware that a more efficient and affordable alternative existed.

Today, that same sack of charcoal lasts her almost three months. The difference is not a change in income or lifestyle. It is a technology change.

“With the traditional stove, I used to buy a sack of charcoal at about Shs 80,000, and it would last only one month,” Namuhenge says. “But with the eco-stove, the same sack can last up to three months.”

For her household, the savings have been significant. “I am now able to save money and use it for other family needs. The stove is easy to light and has a fan that keeps the fire burning. It feels almost like cooking on gas because I can control the heat.”

Namuhenge is among thousands of Ugandans benefiting from a growing clean cooking movement being driven by Detra Energy and Environmental Contractors Limited, a young company using innovation and strategic partnerships to tackle one of Uganda’s most pressing energy challenges.

Founded in 2022, Detra Energy and Environmental Contractors Limited entered the market with a clear vision: to provide practical and sustainable solutions that improve lives while protecting the environment. The company operates across renewable energy, waste management, water and sanitation, environmental compliance, eco-friendly construction, and capacity building.

However, clean cooking has emerged as one of its most impactful interventions. Uganda remains heavily dependent on charcoal and firewood for cooking, a situation that contributes to deforestation, environmental degradation and household air pollution. Recognizing this challenge, Detra introduced a range of modern clean cooking technologies designed to reduce fuel consumption while improving convenience and safety.

Its product portfolio includes electric pressure cookers and advanced charcoal-saving cookstoves such as the Digiwave Electric Pressure Cooker series, Biolite Jiko Safi, Biolite Jiko Malkia, Ecoa Char Grill, Ecoa Char Plus, Ecoa Char Pro and Ecoa Char Classic. These technologies are designed to help households spend less on fuel while reducing the environmental impact associated with traditional cooking methods.

While demand for cleaner cooking solutions was evident, affordability remained a major barrier for many households.

That changed in 2024 when Detra Energy partnered with Equity Bank Uganda and EnDev GIZ under a Results-Based Financing (RBF) programme aimed at expanding access to clean cooking technologies.

The programme provided incentives that significantly reduced the cost of acquiring energy-efficient stoves. As a result, products that previously sold for approximately UGX 140,000 became available at heavily subsidized prices.

Households in refugee and host communities could purchase the stoves for UGX 70,000, while other Ugandan consumers accessed them for as low as UGX 60,000.

For many families, this was the difference between wanting a clean cooking solution and actually owning one.

“Many Ugandans want solar systems, clean cook stoves, and renewable energy solutions, but the initial costs remain too high for households and small businesses. As Equity Bank, we are enabling communities to access these technologies through results-based financing,” says Virginia Semakula, Equity Bank Energy, Environment and Climate Change Pillar Head.

According to David Ucha, Director of Detra Energy and Environmental Contractors Limited, the programme played a critical role in accelerating adoption and strengthening the company’s growth trajectory.

“Even though we had only been operating in the clean cooking sector for a few years, Equity Bank Uganda and GIZ trusted us as a partner,” Ucha says.

“The partnership enabled us to reach people who could not previously afford these technologies. It has helped us penetrate the market, build credibility, and position ourselves for future growth.”

Saving Money, Protecting the Environment

The benefits of the clean cooking technologies extend far beyond affordability. According to Ucha, the stoves consume significantly less charcoal than traditional alternatives while producing less smoke and containing ash more effectively. The result is cleaner kitchens, healthier households and lower fuel expenditure. For users like Namuhenge, the impact is immediate and measurable.

Reducing charcoal consumption by nearly two-thirds means families can redirect money previously spent on fuel toward education, healthcare, business investments, and other household priorities.

At a national level, wider adoption of such technologies can also help reduce pressure on Uganda’s forests, which continue to face significant threats from charcoal production and firewood harvesting.

Building on the success of its household products, Detra Energy is now expanding into institutional cooking solutions. One of the company’s latest innovations is the Jiko-Kul, a high-capacity pressure cooker designed for schools, hospitals and other large institutions.

Unlike conventional electric cooking appliances, the system combines oil-based heat retention technology with electric coils, allowing food to continue cooking even after power is switched off.

The innovation addresses one of Uganda’s persistent challenges, unreliable electricity supply, while significantly reducing cooking times and energy costs for institutions. The technology represents the company’s broader ambition of developing locally relevant solutions that respond directly to the realities faced by Ugandan consumers.

Although still a relatively young company, Detra Energy is rapidly establishing itself as a key player in Uganda’s clean energy transition. Its growth demonstrates how strategic partnerships, innovative financing mechanisms, and customer-centered technologies can accelerate access to sustainable energy solutions. For households, the benefits are reflected in lower fuel bills and improved cooking experiences. For businesses like Detra, Results-Based Financing provides the confidence and resources needed to scale operations and reach underserved communities.

And for Uganda, the expansion of clean cooking technologies represents an important step toward achieving national energy access, environmental conservation, and climate resilience goals.

As demand for cleaner and more efficient energy solutions continues to grow, Detra Energy’s journey offers a glimpse into what is possible when innovation, affordability, and partnership come together.

For thousands of households across the country, the transition has already begun, one stove at a time.

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