What UpEnergy does

UpEnergy is a privately held social enterprise founded in 2011 and headquartered in Kampala, Uganda, that develops and deploys clean energy technologies and high-integrity decarbonization projects in low-income countries. The company operates across 8 African markets (Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Nigeria, Mozambique, and DRC) with over 200 full-time employees, 90% of whom are based on the ground, and reports delivery of more than 150 decarbonization projects, 12 million tonnes of verified CO2 emissions reductions, and over 1 million emission-reducing products serving 10.4 million people.

UpEnergy's core product portfolio comprises electric cooking systems (electric pressure cookers from partner PowerUP), fuel-efficient biomass and charcoal cookstoves, institutional cookstoves for schools, safe water treatment systems, and a newer carbon removal line based on biochar and agroforestry. The company's underlying technology differentiator is its IoT-integrated metering and digital thermal sensor stack, which enables continuous, real-time usage monitoring of deployed devices and underpins the first electric cooking credits issued under Gold Standard's metered methodology in Africa. Technologies are deployed through locally embedded distribution networks that combine local manufacturing, supply chain logistics, behavioral change training, and end-user support.

UpEnergy generates revenue through three primary streams: (1) sale of verified emission reduction credits (VERs) issued under Gold Standard, Verra VCS (including the first CCP-labelled cookstove credits under VM0050), and CDM, with growing exposure to compliance markets via CORSIA Phase 1 eligibility and Article 6.2 authorizations; (2) distribution of clean energy hardware (electric pressure cookers, fuel-efficient stoves, water treatment systems) to households and institutions; and (3) project financing through outcome bonds (e.g., the USD 200M World Bank/Standard Chartered Clean Cooking Outcome Bond) and grants from foundations including the KliK Foundation, myclimate, and the Modern Cooking Facility for Africa (MCFA). The company sells credits through direct corporate off-take, ICE-hosted auctions, and government partnerships, while also monetizing reputation through high-integrity certifications (BeZero A-rating, SD VISta, CCP label) that command premium pricing in both voluntary and compliance markets.

Name

UpEnergy

Legal name

UpEnergy Group

Website

https://upenergygroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UpEnergy is a Uganda-based social enterprise that develops clean cooking and safe water projects across 8 African markets, deploying IoT-metered electric and fuel-efficient technologies and generating high-integrity carbon credits under Article 6.2, CORSIA, and CCP frameworks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Carbon Credit Development and Clean Energy Project Services

NAICS

Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (33341)

SIC

Heating Equip, Except Elec & Warm Air; & Plumbing Fixtures (3430)

akta.pro primary industry

Carbon Removal Project Development, Financing & Offtake (Developers, Aggregators, Buyers Clubs) (EUABAFAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Carbon Removal Credits Trading (DAC, BECCS, Biochar, Mineralization) (EUAGAIAL), Regenerative Agriculture & Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) (EUABABAE)

Keywords

• Clean cooking technology
• Carbon credit development
• Decarbonization project finance
• Clean energy distribution
• Safe water systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Kampala

HQ country

Uganda

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Carbon Credit Sales: Revenue generated from sale of verified emission reduction credits (VERs) issued after verification by Gold Standard and Verra. Carbon credits represent emissions reductions from clean cooking and safe water projects and are sold to voluntary buyers and compliance markets including CCP-labelled, Article 6.2 aligned, CORSIA-eligible, and JCM partnerships.
2. Technology Distribution: Distribution of clean energy technologies (electric pressure cookers, fuel-efficient cookstoves, water treatment systems) to households and institutions in project markets
3. Climate Finance / Project Financing: Funding received from climate finance mechanisms including outcome bonds, grants from organizations like MCFA, and investments from foundations to deploy clean technologies and scale projects

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

UpEnergy develops and deploys clean energy technologies — including electric cooking systems, fuel-efficient cookstoves, safe water solutions, and biochar/agroforestry carbon removal projects — across 8 African markets through locally embedded distribution networks. The company monetizes these deployments by generating verified carbon credits under Gold Standard, Verra VCS, and Article 6.2 / CORSIA frameworks, and structures project financing via outcome bonds, foundation grants, and corporate offtake agreements.

Product overview

UpEnergy develops and deploys a portfolio of clean energy technologies as a unified decarbonization platform targeting low-income countries. The core offerings include Electric Cooking Systems with metered monitoring, Fuel-Efficient Cookstoves (reducing charcoal use by up to 56.57%), Community Cooking solutions for schools, Safe Water treatment systems, and Carbon Removal via Biochar and Agroforestry projects. The Community Carbon sub-brand aggregates these projects under a reinvestment framework. Technologies are sourced from partners like PowerUP (electric pressure cookers) and deployed across 8 African markets through locally embedded distribution networks, with all projects generating verified carbon credits under standards including Gold Standard, Verra VCS, and CDM.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Community Carbon: A subsidiary initiative of UpEnergy focused on clean cooking and safe water carbon credit projects across five African countries, delivering 50 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions reductions over 15 years through 3.5 million fuel-efficient cookstoves and water purification systems. Community Carbon reinvests a portion of carbon reduction revenue into community benefits through its Climate Resilience Impact Fund.

Products and services

• Electric Cooking Systems Zero-emission electric cooking systems, including electric pressure cookers (EPCs) sourced from partner PowerUP, designed for low-income households in sub-Saharan Africa. The systems are equipped with in-built metered devices for continuous monitoring and real-time usage data capture, enabling accurate emissions reduction reporting and generation of verified carbon credits.
• Fuel-Efficient Cookstoves Fuel-efficient household cooking stoves that reduce charcoal needs by up to 56.57% and are deployed across 8 African markets. Units are fitted with digital thermal sensors applied in randomized sampling approaches to digitize monitoring of real-world cooking events and generate verified emissions reductions.
• Community Cooking (School Cookstoves) Bespoke cookstoves engineered for schools and community institutions to serve hundreds of students daily, decreasing wood fuel requirements, easing pressure on local forests, and generating savings that schools can reinvest in education.
• Safe Water Solutions Water treatment systems that remove 99.99% of bacteria from contaminated water sources, eliminating water-borne diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and diarrhea for households and schools across UpEnergy's African project markets.
• Carbon Removal (Biochar and Agroforestry) Biochar and agroforestry projects in Africa delivering carbon removal outcomes for clients most vulnerable to climate risks, extending UpEnergy's decarbonization portfolio beyond emissions reduction into durable removals.
• Community Carbon Initiative A portfolio initiative of seven energy-saving projects delivering cleaner cookstoves and water purification devices across five African countries, with an associated Climate Resilience Impact Fund that reinvests a portion of carbon reduction revenue into community benefits programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces charcoal consumption by up to 56.57%
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Community Carbon (UpEnergy subsidiary)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 March 2026UpEnergy Group acquired Community Carbon Stream and carbon credits for USD 6 million from Carbon Streaming Corporation through a Buyout Agreement. Community Carbon is UpEnergy's initiative delivering clean cooking and safe water projects.
• KliK FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Ghana and Switzerland signed Letters of Authorisation for an UpEnergy partnership with the KliK Foundation to expand access to modern, zero-emissions electric cooking across Ghana under Article 6.2. This is the first Article 6.2 electric-cooking activity approved globally and expected to be the largest of its kind. Over 245,000 e-cooking systems will be deployed.
• Street Child UgandaminorOthers · 23 May 2023Community Carbon (UpEnergy initiative) selected Street Child Uganda as first grantee of Climate Resilience Impact Fund with USD 150,000 over three years. Street Child will deliver Breaking Barriers program for 4,860 children in Kyangwali refugee settlement.
• AGE AfricaminorOthers · 23 May 2023Community Carbon (UpEnergy initiative) selected AGE Africa as first grantee of Climate Resilience Impact Fund with USD 150,000 over three years. AGE will deliver program to increase girls' knowledge of emergency response preparedness and empower girls as leaders in climate change response.
• PowerUPcoreTechnology or Integration · 27 March 2023UpEnergy partnered with climate tech startup PowerUP to deploy electric pressure cookers (EPCs) designed for low income households in sub-Saharan Africa. PowerUP's EPCs include redesigned interface for local cooking habits and in-built metered devices for continuous monitoring.
• GehlminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 March 2023Urban strategy and design company Gehl partnered with UpEnergy to help address operating emissions through the electric pressure cooker project. Gehl is a global leader in climate-friendly, healthy, and inclusive neighborhoods setting net-zero targets aligned with 1.5°C goals.
• Intercontinental Exchange (ICE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 March 2023ICE partnered with UpEnergy to host carbon credit auctions based on UpEnergy's Improved Cookstove Programme in Uganda. ICE auctioned 250,000 credits twice in 2023. ICE's auction service connects buyers directly to project developers, bringing transparency to price discovery.

Scale indicators29 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• BURN Manufacturing: Kenya-based manufacturer and distributor of fuel-efficient cookstoves serving East African households. Directly comparable in product type (biomassa and improved cookstoves), target customer (low-income African households), and carbon credit monetization model, though with a stronger manufacturing footprint.
• Sistema.bio: Mexico/Kenya-headquartered biodigester company providing small-scale biogas systems to smallholder farmers across Latin America and East Africa. Highly comparable in clean cooking for low-income households, locally embedded distribution, and carbon credit monetization, though with a different technology platform.
• Envirofit International: US-based clean cookstove company distributing fuel-efficient biomass stoves across Africa and Asia. Comparable product portfolio, last-mile distribution model in low-income markets, and carbon credit financing approach targeting similar end customers.
• EcoZoom: Portland-headquartered cookstove manufacturer serving Africa, Central America, and South Asia with fuel-efficient stoves. Comparable in cookstove product category, hardware distribution model, and Carbon Offset/Voluntary market engagement.
• ATEC* Global Biodigester: Cambodia-headquartered biodigester company expanding into East Africa with clean cooking technology for off-grid households. Comparable in last-mile clean cooking distribution, low-income customer base, and carbon credit generation across developing markets.

Broad incumbents

• Climate Impact Partners: UK-headquartered carbon credit intermediary and project developer with large cookstove and clean energy portfolio across Africa and Asia. Comparable in cookstove carbon credit origination and corporate buyer sales, though operating at much larger portfolio scale.
• South Pole Group: Switzerland-based global carbon project developer and climate consultancy with much larger portfolio of carbon projects across cookstoves, renewables, forestry, and removals. Comparable in the carbon project development and credit origination model UpEnergy operates, though at significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach.

Others

• Carbon Streaming Corporation: Canada-listed carbon credit streaming and royalty company that previously owned the Community Carbon stream sold to UpEnergy for USD 6M. Adjacent counterparty in the carbon finance ecosystem rather than a direct competitor, but illustrative of the streaming capital model UpEnergy's monetization fits into.

Emerging players

• M-KOPA Solar: Kenya-based pay-as-you-go solar home systems company serving underbanked households across East Africa. Comparable in the locally embedded distribution model, low-income African customer base, and asset-financed product delivery approach, though focused on solar rather than cooking.
• d.light: San Francisco/Nairobi-headquartered pay-as-you-go solar product company serving off-grid households across Africa and Asia. Comparable in the locally embedded distribution model for low-income households, financing partnerships with development finance institutions, though with different core technology focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/smarthomeuganda

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UpEnergy