Khainza Energy is an organic biogas energy company from Uganda that installs biogas systems and produces biogas cylinders. They produce biogas from waste materials, creating a fully environmentally friendly energy source. The company constructs small biogas digesters for smallholder farmers and institutions like schools. Khainza Energy has also set up a biogas plant on Gudi Leisure farm where they collect waste from farmers in Najera and Kiira to generate biogas filled in cylinders for sale. Additionally, to reduce reliance on firewood and charcoal among low-income populations they are offering clean cooking solutions. Khainza trains biogas consultants, engineers, masons, and marketing experts, with a focus on young people and women. 

50,000 women and 500,000 children die every year in Africa as a result of acute respiratory infections brought on by excessive exposure to smoke in kitchens. The increased demand for firewood and charcoal in Uganda is responsible for the yearly loss of 80,000 hectares of forest. Land destruction, erratic weather patterns, and climate change have all resulted as a result of this.

One alternative to the issue of unhealthy and wasteful cooking practices is biogas, which is made entirely of organic materials and is derived from waste. It is created when organic waste is deposited in a low-oxygen environment, resulting in anaerobic digestion. Khainza Energy works on enabling the adoption and use of biogas as a safe, affordable, and sustainable cooking fuel solution, thereby reducing dependence on wood while also reducing waste. They are a circular economy company that collects organic waste from smallholder farms and local households and processes and refines it into high-purity methane. It then distributes sustainable, recyclable biogas cylinders locally, involving local women, youth, and farmers along the value chain and distribution networks. Additionally, they also offer refurbishing of their products to enable longevity.

Khainza Energy’s biogas product costs 35% less than a bag of charcoal and is also 25% cheaper than liquefied petroleum gas, enabling Ugandan households to save on energy, improve their health and contribute to environmental protection. For their impactful circular solution, Khainza Energy has been awarded the SEED low carbon winner for 2018. The company especially focuses on reaching rural populations and empowering women and youth in their business model. They have also developed operations to train bio-entrepreneurs in Uganda. Their product is currently being distributed to 37,800 women throughout Uganda, and their production plant can now produce 15 m3 of gas per day, with future expansions in the future to reach the goal of 300 m3 of gas. 

This case study has been created as part of Footprints Africa's work to build a comprehensive open-source database of circular economy initiatives in Africa. We are doing this in collaboration with the African Circular Economy Network (ACEN), as part of our programme to support the circular economy transition in Africa.

Image retrieved from https://www.seed.uno/enterprise-profiles/khainza-energy-limited