Kenyan Homes Enjoy an Alternative and Sustainable Way to Cook

Samsung Electronics announced today that, in partnership with Green Development SA, it will deliver 10,000 bioethanol stoves to 10,000 households in Mombasa, Kenya. By supplying these eco-friendly stoves, Samsung Electronics aims to address climate change and improve the health and safety of the residents of Kenya’s second largest city while providing them with economic sustainability.

A New Way to Cook

Bioethanol stoves are affordable, safe to use, and eco-friendly

In Mombasa, 80 percent of households depend on charcoal for their cooking requirements. Yet charcoal fuel used for cooking produces toxic fumes when burned, threatening the health of family members and neighbours and increasing the early mortality rate. Burning charcoal also leads to serious air pollution and accelerates deforestation due to the excessive harvesting of trees. Current fuel alternatives such as Liquid Petroleum Gas and Kerosene are expensive and considered a fire hazard.

Bioethanol, on the other hand, is a renewable, clean energy source, and a byproduct of sugar production. The fuel is six times more energy efficient than charcoal, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The stoves themselves are affordable, safe to use at home and have a reduced impact on the environment.

A Helping Hand

With this bioethanol stove, women and children of Mombasa are free from a 5-hour walk or waiting in a long queue to get a supply of charcoal.

Samsung Electronics and Green Development will provide training for sourcing, production and sales of bioethanol stoves and fuels, contributing to revitalizing the community’s economic sustainability. This project aims to improve the quality of life for the residents of the community, and to reduce the impact of climate change for global societies.

“Samsung Electronics is taking further steps to work with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to implement this project in refugee camps in Africa,” said Haengil Kim, Senior Vice President leading Global Environment, Health and Safety Centre at Samsung Electronics. “The company will continue to help tackle social challenges in local communities and to address climate change.”

A Commitment to Sustainability

As part of this partnership, Samsung Electronics will earn carbon credits issued by the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), certifying the company’s’ commitment to reducing its carbon footprint in developing countries.

Samsung Electronics is committed to mitigating climate change. The company continues to reduce greenhouse gas emission in the facilities and to gradually switch to renewable energy sources. It also undertakes global social initiatives to raise awareness about climate change and protect the environment as a responsible corporate citizen. Samsung Electronics’ environmental approach and performance have been recognized as a global leader addressing climate change and included in the ‘2017 CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) A list’ ranking both in the climate change and water security sectors, placing the company in the Global CDP Index for eight consecutive years.