BURN, Africa’s leading clean cookstove manufacturer and carbon project developer, has been named the 2025 Ashden Award Winner for Outstanding Achievement under the Global South category—marking another major milestone in the company’s mission to save lives and forest through its clean cooking appliances.
The announcement was made during the 25th anniversary Ashden Awards ceremony at the Royal Geographical Society in London, where BURN was recognized for its industry-defining approach to clean cooking. From locally manufactured clean cook stoves to digital monitoring and last-mile distribution, BURN’s integrated model has brought more than ~5.5 million biomass, LPG, and electric cooking appliances across Africa, including its award-winning, cellular-enabled ECOA Induction Cooker. These appliances have improved the lives of over 28 million people while reducing household fuel costs by $1.1 billion, indoor air pollution by 65-100%, and protecting forests by saving over 16M tons of wood.
Peter Scott, Founder and CEO of BURN, commented: “When we first received our award, we only had 50 staff selling our improved charcoal stove, and now we are 3,000+ staff in over 10 countries in Africa and growing. Just a few years ago, affordable electric cooking for low-income households seemed out of reach. Now, with innovation and carbon finance, BURN is bringing our IoT-enabled induction cookers to millions of families across the continent. Our mission is clear: to help the 600 million people with electricity access to transition to zero-emission electric cooking.”
This is BURN’s second Ashden Award; the company was first honoured in 2015 for improving health outcomes and expanding economic opportunities for women through clean cooking solutions in Kenya. For Peter Scott, this year’s award comes full circle—he received his first Ashden Award two decades ago as a pioneer in clean energy innovation.
BURN’s model enables customers to shift from inefficient and polluting cooking to clean, zero-emission solutions. These stoves generate high-integrity carbon credits that lower the cost of clean cooking by up to 90%.
Ashden CEO Dr Ashok Sinha said: “The 2025 Ashden Award winners are setting us on course for fairer, greener, better future. Ashden CEO Dr Ashok Sinha said: “The 2025 Ashden Award winners are setting us on course for a fairer, greener, better future. These are proven solutions with enormous impact, led by true climate pioneers. In Ashden’s 25th year, we are delighted to celebrate these inclusive and inspiring champions”.
“In today’s turbulent world, our winners are illuminating the way forward – improving lives as well as slashing carbon emissions by creating new jobs, cutting energy bills, improving health and building stronger communities. Congratulations to every one of them,” added Dr Ashok Sinha
This year’s ceremony featured remarks from UK Climate Envoy Rachel Kyte, Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate, and Myra Anubi of BBC World Service, spotlighting solutions that deliver tangible impact at the grassroots and global levels.
As a 2025 winner, BURN will receive ongoing strategic support from Ashden, including global media exposure and access to influential networks of funders, investors, and climate policy leaders. The award announcement coincides with the UK’s Great Big Green Week and precedes London Climate Action Week, underscoring its global significance.
