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, the same sack of charcoal lasts her almost three months.
The change did not come from earning more money or changing her lifestyle. It came from switching to a cleaner cooking technology.
“With the traditional stove, I used to buy a sack of charcoal at about Shs80,000, 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 family, the savings have been significant.
“I am now able to save money and use it for other household 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,” she says.
Namuhenge is among thousands of Ugandans benefiting from a growing clean cooking movement led by Detra Energy and Environmental Contractors Limited, a company using innovation and partnerships to address Uganda’s energy challenges.
Founded in 2022, Detra Energy entered the market with a mission to provide practical and sustainable solutions that improve people’s lives while protecting the environment.
The company operates in renewable energy, waste management, water and sanitation, environmental compliance, eco-friendly construction and capacity building.
However, clean cooking has become one of its most impactful areas of work.
Uganda remains heavily dependent on charcoal and firewood for cooking. This dependence contributes to deforestation, environmental degradation and household air pollution.
To address the challenge, Detra introduced a range of modern cooking technologies designed to reduce fuel consumption while improving convenience and safety.
Its products include the Digiwave Electric Pressure Cooker series and charcoal-saving cookstoves such as the Biolite Jiko Safi, Biolite Jiko Malkia, Ecoa Char Grill, Ecoa Char Plus, Ecoa Char Pro and Ecoa Char Classic.
These technologies help households spend less on fuel while reducing the environmental impact associated with traditional cooking methods.
Although demand for cleaner cooking solutions was strong, affordability remained a major obstacle for many families.
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 about Shs140,000 became available at subsidised prices.
Households in refugee and host communities could purchase the stoves for Shs70,000, while other Ugandan consumers accessed them for as low as Shs60,000.
For many families, this made the difference between wanting a clean cooking solution and actually owning one.
“Many Ugandans want solar systems, clean cookstoves and renewable energy solutions, but the initial costs remain too high for households and small businesses,” says Virginia Semakula, Equity Bank’s Head of Energy, Environment and Climate Change.
“As Equity Bank, we are enabling communities to access these technologies through results-based financing.”
According to David Ucha, the Director of Detra Energy and Environmental Contractors Limited, the programme has played a critical role in accelerating adoption and supporting the company’s growth.
“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.”
The benefits of the clean cooking technologies extend beyond affordability.
According to Ucha, the stoves use significantly less charcoal than traditional alternatives. They also produce less smoke and contain ash more effectively, resulting in cleaner kitchens and healthier households.
For users like Namuhenge, the impact is immediate and measurable.
Reducing charcoal consumption by nearly two-thirds allows families to redirect money previously spent on fuel towards education, healthcare, business investments and other household priorities.
At the national level, wider adoption of such technologies could help reduce pressure on Uganda’s forests, which continue to face 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 the power is switched off.
The innovation addresses one of Uganda’s persistent challenges, unreliable electricity supply, while reducing cooking times and energy costs for institutions.
The technology reflects the company’s broader ambition of developing practical solutions tailored to the needs of Ugandan consumers.
Although still a relatively young company, Detra Energy is steadily establishing itself as a key player in Uganda’s clean energy transition.
Its growth demonstrates how strategic partnerships, innovative financing mechanisms and customer-focused technologies can accelerate access to sustainable energy solutions.
For households, the benefits are lower fuel bills and improved cooking experiences.
For companies like Detra, Results-Based Financing provides the support needed to scale operations and reach underserved communities.
For Uganda, the expansion of clean cooking technologies represents an important step towards improving energy access, protecting the environment and strengthening climate resilience.
As demand for cleaner and more efficient energy solutions continues to grow, Detra Energy’s journey offers a glimpse of what is possible when innovation, affordability and partnerships work together.
For thousands of households across the country, that transition has already begun, one stove at a time.
