New portfolio company in Kenya scaling up access to clean cooking through biogas solutions

An agreement has been signed with a biogas system provider in Kenya to scale up access to clean cooking solutions for small-scale farmers across the country.

The agreement has been signed with HomeBiogas Ventures Limited in Kenya. The company started its operations in Kenya in 2022 installing biogas systems for farmers. The EUR 2 million in funding of results-based financing to be provided by MCFA will mobilise additional co-financing, at least doubling the total capital invested by the end of the project implementation.

HomeBiogas in Kenya will provide small-scale farmers in Kenya with its modular small-scale biogas systems. With the results-based financing provided by MCFA, the company aims to install 34,000 biogas systems to boost the company’s expansion in Western and Central Kenya. This will provide up to 170,000 farmers in Kenya with clean cooking solutions by the end of 2028.

“We are thrilled to receive this significant financial contribution from MCFA to take our revolutionary clean cooking technology to more Kenyan farmers and for the support of our mission to make clean cooking accessible to everyone. We believe that HomeBiogas biogas systems can transform the lives of millions of Kenyan farmers and their families, while also contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals of climate action, health and poverty reduction,” says Daniel Mungai, Country Head of Commerce at HomeBiogas i Kenya.

HomeBiogas biodigesters provide an affordable and sustainable solution by converting animal manure into clean biogas for cooking and organic liquid fertiliser. Each system can produce up to 5 hours of clean cooking and 150 litres of biofertiliser per day. The biogas systems are easy to install and operate and require minimal maintenance. The systems are designed to withstand harsh weather conditions and last for over 15 years.

“HomeBiogas is an innovative company that is scaling up access to its clean cooking solution with MCFA financing and accelerating access to affordable clean cooking solutions for small-scale farmers across Kenya. The project will improve health and the climate in Kenya, while at the same time supporting farmers in increasing their annual incomes with higher crop yields through the installed biodigesters,” comments Aliona Fomenco, Investment Manager at Nefco.

The Modern Cooking Facility for Africa (MCFA) supports access to and scale-up of higher-tier clean cooking solutions. HomeBiogas was selected via a competitive application process under the Kenya country programme as part of the first funding round (MCFA1) and is funded by Norway. The selection process included a two-stage third-party evaluation of applications by independent experts and a detailed due diligence process carried out by Danish Energy Management A/S in consortium with LFS Advisory.

The Modern Cooking Facility for Africa (MCFA) received very strong interest in its second funding round to support access to and scale-up of high-technology clean cooking solutions in Sub-Saharan African countries. The second call for proposals has advanced to the final application stage, which entails evaluation of the received business plans by external evaluators. Applicants will be informed of the outcome by the end of August 2024.

For further information, please contact:

Ash Sharma, Head of Modern Cooking Facility for Africa, Nefco
ash.sharma@nefco.int, +358 10 618 06 53

Daniel Mungai, Country Head of Commerce, HomeBiogas Kenya
daniel@homebiogas.com, tel. +254 797 878 909

About HomeBiogas

HomeBiogas, a certified B Corp, is an innovative global company that produces small-scale biogas systems, making renewable energy accessible to households and commercial businesses. Its systems efficiently convert organic waste into clean cooking gas and liquid fertiliser, providing a sustainable solution for waste management and energy production. In Kenya, HomeBiogas offers a solution for small-scale farmers, providing affordable and easy-to-use biogas systems that convert organic waste into clean cooking gas and liquid fertiliser. By using HomeBiogas systems, small farmers can reduce their reliance on traditional fuels, cut their carbon footprint and improve soil quality with nutrient-rich biofertiliser produced as a byproduct. Read more on www.homebiogas.com