Malawi supplying domestic ethanol for clean cooking
In Malawi, Malawi’s clean energy transition, the cooking fire remains one of the most urgent frontlines. Across many urban and peri-urban households, charcoal and firewood continue to dominate domestic cooking, contributing to deforestation, household air pollution and rising pressure on the country’s forests.
PressCane Limited is working to change that story. Through ethanol-based cooking solutions, the Chikwawa-based company is helping introduce a cleaner, safer and more sustainable alternative for Malawian households. Since October 2025, 566 households have purchased ethanol stoves, each one replacing traditional charcoal or firewood use and contributing to reduced pressure on forests and improved indoor air quality.
With support from UNDP through the Green Economic Transition Facility (GETF), PressCane procured 1,845 ethanol cooking stoves from Hungary and China. The company also purchased a transport vehicle, which is now being used to distribute ethanol through a growing network of 12 distributors in Zomba, Blantyre and Chikwawa.
Category: Fuels
