
France-based TotalEnergies has committed to giving 100 million people in India and Africa access to the ability to cook cleanly with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by the end of the decade.
The company made the announcement at the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Clean Cooking Summit.
To meet its aim, TotalEnergies will invest over $400 million in developing new ways to affordably access LPG. As well as being a maker of advanced lubricant and coolant solutions under the Total brand, TotalEnergies is also a major provider of LPG in cylinders.
Unfortunately, the upfront cost of a cylinder can be prohibitively expensive, so TotalEnergies will work on developing a pay-as-you-cook system based on digital technology.
TotalEnergies CEO and Chairman Patrick Pouyanné said the company was embracing the IEA’s initiative and seeking to broaden people’s access to sustainable, affordable and reliable cooking solutions, adding:
“By developing access to clean cooking in Africa and India, TotalEnergies aims to have a positive impact on the environment and on people’s health, while also helping to reduce gender inequalities in these regions. Clean cooking contributes to long-term social, economic and human development in a more sustainable way.”
The IEA estimates that 2.3 billion people still cook using wood and charcoal. Switching to LPG has the potential to improve health by reducing household air pollution, which is the second-biggest cause of early death among sub-Saharan females.
TotalEnergies also aims to reduce gender inequality by providing women access to education, along with its mission to cut deforestation and carbon dioxide emissions.