Modern Energy Cooking Services MECS in Malawi Will

Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) in Malawi Will Coley (University of Strathclyde, Scotland) 28 th November 2019 (NCSC meeting, Lilongwe)

Introduction • Summary of University of Strathclyde’s work • What is Modern Energy Cooking Services? • Overview of MECS programme • MECS activities in Malawi • Invitation to participate and collaborate

University of Strathclyde (Uo. S) • Energy for Development at the Univ. of Strathclyde • Uo. S have been working on renewable energy projects primarily in Malawi (some other Sub-Saharan African countries) for over 10 years. • Work (mainly funded by Scottish Government) around sustainable off-grid energy access: – Energy projects with local partners (inc. advocacy, implementation) • e. g Community Energy Malawi and United Purpose – Research often in collaboration with Malawi’s universities • Mzuni, MUST and Polytechnic • Past projects include: 2008 - CRED (Community Rural Electrification and Development) 2012 - MREAP (Malawi Renewable Energy Acceleration Programme) 2015 - SOGERV (Sustainable Off-Grid Electrification of Rural Villages) 2018 - EASE (Energy Access through Social Enterprise)

Modern Energy Cooking Services • 5 year project funded by DFID (UK Government) – Over $60 million and continuing to attract investment • Involves several UK universities, and is multidisciplinary – For example, engineers, geographers, anthropologists, and economists • “rapidly accelerate the transition from biomass to clean cooking on a global scale” • Mainly involves trying to increase the market of efficient, electric cooking devices (e. Cook) and LPG • Malawi is now included in the list of MECS priority countries

MECS in Malawi: Ongoing activities • Uo. S has worked hard to demonstrate the need and potential for MECS in Malawi. We know that Malawi has: – – – An active (but quite small) population using modern fuels for cooking Severe concerns about deforestation Understanding of the importance of cleaner cooking • Ongoing market assessment activities seek to define the state of cooking in Malawi and provide a foundation for future activities • Surveys, cooking diaries, focus groups and interviews of a range of stakeholders – – Households: cooking devices/fuels, dishes cooked, who cooks, cooking routines, costs… Local markets: devices available, popular products, profitability, costs, supply chain… Development actors: adding to the above, barriers and opportunities, past/present cooking interventions, lessons to be learnt… Policy: past/present cooking and electrification policy/targets You are invited to discuss these with me following the meeting or at another convenient time. Please see contact details at end. Locations of household survey: - Urban (northern area) - Peri-urban (southern area)

MECS in Malawi: Whats next? • Market assessment will be used to identify the next steps towards the scale up of modern energy cooking services in Malawi • Objective is to begin fill knowledge and capacity gaps and overcome identified challenges. For example, some specific questions: • – Households: how applicable is modern energy cooking to the Malawian context? what is the ability/willingness to pay for/use modern energy cooking in rural/mini-grid/peri-urban/urban areas? – Local markets: what kind of business plan is economically viable and could lead to sustainable growth of the modern energy cooking market for different scenarios? – Development actors: how can expertise be harnessed, funding accessed and collaborations built around modern energy cooking in Malawi? – Policy: what additions/changes are needed to aid the growth of the modern energy cooking market? Future activities may include: – – – Testing prototypes Piloting business models around modern energy cooking services Collaborating with other projects/partners in Malawi to accelerate market growth Again, you are invited to discuss these topics with me following the meeting or we could arrange another convenient time. Please see contact details at end.

Thank you • Thank you for listening, completing the online survey and inviting me to this meeting to speak with you today. • If you are interested in having a discussion or participating in an interview, please come and find me following this meeting • I am in Lilongwe until the end of next week and happy to arrange a meeting time which is convenient for you Email: william. coley@strath. ac. uk Whatsapp: +447594839803