Scaling up access to electric cooking solutions across Zambia

The Modern Cooking Facility for Africa (MCFA) is supporting Sun King Zambia to scale up electric cooking solutions for households in urban and peri-urban areas of the country.

MCFA is supporting Sun King, an African off-grid energy company that sells solar cooking equipment, to expand its business operations in Zambia, scaling up access to clean electric cooking solutions for Zambian households.

With approx. EUR 1.2 million in MCFA funding, the company plans to offer clean electric cooking solutions, targeting grid-connected urban and peri-urban customers. Its electric induction stoves’ smart metering and data features record energy usage, enabling Sun King to offer pay-as-you-go cooking solutions and providing accurate data on avoided carbon emissions. The metering technology enables households to pay in small, regular instalments rather than making large upfront purchases.

Founded in 2007, Sun King provides clean, off-grid energy solutions. The company – formally known as Greenlight Planet Zambia – started operating in Zambia in 2021 and has delivered one million solar kits across the country, equipping households with clean, reliable energy. In spring 2023, the Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa (BGFA), also managed by Nefco, entered into an agreement to support the company’s scale-up of off-grid solar energy solutions.

“Sun King began by powering low-income homes and businesses with solar systems delivered through pay-as-you-go financing, breaking down the barrier of high upfront costs. Now we’re bringing the same approach to clean cooking,” says Mark O’Keefe, Head of Clean Cooking, Sun King. “We are proud to partner with MCFA to scale access to clean electric cooking across Zambia — this funding will help us deliver safe, affordable induction cooking to households and small businesses, accelerating the transition to cleaner, healthier homes.”

With MCFA support, Sun King aims to deploy up to 45,000 electric induction stoves across Zambia by the end of 2029. This will provide up to 225,000 Zambians with access to clean cooking solutions.

“We are pleased to continue our cooperation with Greenlight Planet – Sun King through MCFA, and are looking forward to the company leveraging its skills, experience and extensive sales network to enable more Zambians to transition to clean cooking,” comments Aliona Fomenco, Programme Manager at Nefco.

The Modern Cooking Facility for Africa (MCFA) supports access to and scaling of higher-tier clean cooking solutions. Sun King Zambia was shortlisted under the second funding round (MCFA2) of the Zambian country programme. The selection process included third-party evaluations of the final applications by independent experts and a detailed due diligence process carried out by Danish Energy Management in consortium with LFS Advisory.

For further information, please contact:

Aliona Fomenco, Programme Manager, Nefco
aliona.fomenco@nefco.int, +358 10 6180 647

Sam Viney, Head of Communications, Sun King
sam.viney@sunking.com, +44(0)7736736336

About Sun King          

Sun King is the world’s largest off-grid solar energy company, offering cutting-edge product design, affordable financing and a grassroots installation model to provide energy to the 1.8 billion people across Africa and Asia who currently lack access to reliable electricity. Founded in 2007, Sun King sets the gold standard for off-grid solar performance and design to deliver on its mission: to power access to brighter lives.

Sun King is expanding its work in clean cooking, applying the same pay-as-you-go model and in-house technology that helped it make solar power accessible to millions. The company is piloting modern cooking solutions — including smart LPG systems and electric induction stoves — to replace smoke-producing, wood-based fuels and reduce household air pollution, emissions and daily fuel costs for families. Trials across Africa are already reaching thousands of households with cleaner, safer and more affordable cooking methods. Read more on www.sunking.com 

Photo: Mark Okeefe, Sunking (Greenlight Planet in Zambia) presenting at the MCFA session at the EU Business Forum in Zambia.