In Malawi, the majority of target households rely on illegally and unsustainably sourced charcoal and firewood, leading to greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and hazardous indoor air pollution. ATEC is addressing this situation by implementing a large-scale mitigation activity to distribute 76,000 IoT-enabled smart induction electric stoves to grid-connected households in Lilongwe and Blantyre districts.

The high-efficiency induction technology in the stoves supports continuous energy metering and real-time data transmission via global SIM cards. This setup enables 100% data-auditable emission reductions under Article 6.2. As the owner of the activity, ATEC implements the programme with a local partner organisation, which handles last-mile distribution and community outreach.

To drive adoption, the project uses a ‘Cook-to-Earn’ (C2E) model. This model provides direct incentive payments of up to $50 per household based on verified stove usage. Support from the KliK Foundation is key because the high upfront cost of the stoves, lack of subsidies, and no direct financial incentives are major barriers for households. Without carbon finance, the activity is financially unviable, yielding a negative internal rate of return (IRR); KliK Foundation’s contribution removes this barrier by enabling the necessary price subsidies and performance incentives.

The activity is an addition to Malawi’s NDC package because the government's clean cooking goals are classified as conditional measures. These targets depend entirely on international climate finance and technology transfer. The activity is also not mandated by any domestic law, ensuring that the resulting emission reductions are additional to Malawi's unconditional NDC commitments and subject to corresponding adjustments to prevent double claiming.

ATEC’s efficient IoT-enabled smart induction stoves create measurable impacts that extend far beyond carbon reduction:

• Transitioning to induction stoves reduces the demand for charcoal, improves indoor air quality and lowers greenhouse gas emissions.

• The activity reduces the time women spend on unpaid domestic tasks, particularly tending traditional stoves.

• The stoves also integrate with local habits by providing a high-efficiency alternative to charcoal that is used with compatible stainless steel cookware.

The activity contributes to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including:

SDG 1: No Poverty – The activity lowers household cooking energy costs by replacing charcoal with energy-efficient induction technology. By integrating the ‘Cook-to-Earn’ model, the programme provides direct cash payments per household, improving financial resilience.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being – By replacing traditional charcoal stoves with ATEC’s smart induction cookers, the activity eliminates toxic indoor smoke and delivers zero PM2.5 emissions. This reduces the risk of respiratory diseases and chronic health problems, particularly for women and children who are most exposed to household air pollution.

SDG 5: Gender Equality – The activity reduces the time women spend on unpaid domestic tasks, such as fuel collection and managing slow-heating stoves (saving them approximately 8 to 10 hours per month).

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy – The activity ensures access to modern and sustainable energy by distributing a reliable 76,000 high-efficiency IoT-enabled induction stoves to grid-connected households.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – The activity strengthens the local economy by establishing roughly 300 jobs in stove distribution, logistics, sales, and technical maintenance. This supports national capacity building in digital monitoring and clean energy infrastructure while fostering productive employment opportunities in the activity’s region.

SDG 13: Climate Action – The activity targets the reduction of greenhouse gases through the displacement of non-renewable biomass. This transition directly protects Malawi’s forests from degradation caused by illegal charcoal production and supports national climate goals under the Article 6.2 framework.