Mega Gas
Mega Gas Alternative Energy, a pioneering cleantech startup, is tackling two of Kenya’s most urgent challenges: the lack of clean, affordable cooking energy for low-income families and the escalating problem of plastic waste.
Through a patented frontier technology that recycles plastic waste into clean cooking gas, the company provides a solution that is both environmentally transformative and socially empowering.
Their mission is a powerful combination of climate action, waste management, and social inclusion.
Turning Plastic into Clean Energy
Mega Gas’s innovative approach has earned national recognition.
The company was among the 12 finalists awarded a KSh 5 million grant by the KCDF Youth Enterprise Innovation Challenge (YEIC), a program honoring young enterprises solving pressing social and environmental challenges.
Their process centers on custom-fabricated equipment: a reactor, harvester, two coolers, and a separator cylinder that converts unsorted plastic waste into clean, combustible gas, which is then compressed into cylinders for distribution.
Distribution is done through a network of women entrepreneurs and community kitchens, where households pay a small hourly fee instead of buying costly gas canisters.
This model improves affordability, eliminates harmful indoor smoke, and offers a cleaner alternative to biomass fuels.
The YEIC award will allow Mega Gas to expand its network, reach more households, and create more green jobs.
Globally, the clean cooking crisis remains severe.
According to the International Energy Agency, nearly 900 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa still rely on solid biomass fuels such as wood and charcoal, exposing households to deadly indoor air pollution.
Kenya reflects this regional challenge, with millions of families struggling to access affordable, clean energy sources.
Against this backdrop, Mega Gas’s model offers a uniquely local solution, one that addresses not only the energy deficit but also the country’s mounting plastic waste problem.
Impact on Communities
Mega Gas has already made a significant impact on the ground.
Currently serving about 9,050 customers each month, they offer two access points for their clean cooking gas: a 6kg gas cylinder for $4 and a community kitchen model where customers pay just $0.2 per hour to cook.
This two-tiered approach ensures their clean energy is both accessible and affordable for a diverse customer base, including some of the most financially vulnerable households.
The environmental gains are equally notable. Each month, the company stops about 267.7 tons of COâ‚‚ from being emitted by providing a clean cooking alternative.
By recycling over 114 tons of plastic waste monthly, they mitigate an additional 408.12 tons of COâ‚‚.
The combined effect positions Mega Gas as both an emissions reduction champion and a frontline player in circular economy innovation.
Empowering Women Through Waste Collection
The company’s model is built on a theory of change that extends beyond product delivery to foster broader social and environmental shifts.
Mega Gas actively involves local communities, particularly women, in its plastic waste collection process. This not only secures their feedstock but also creates a new source of income and empowerment.
In an interview with Global Citizen, Mega Gas CEO Peter Mwangi Njeri, a recipient of the 2023 Waislitz Global Citizen Grand Award, highlighted the centrality of this approach, stating;
“The economies in Africa are built on the backs of women. Women are the backbone of this country. They take care of the kids. They have shops. It is basically them who run the economy. If you empower a woman, she takes care of her family, and in return, we have healthier communities.”
By rooting its business model in social inclusion, Mega Gas ensures that its environmental innovation translates into tangible community benefits.
Women collectors, who were once excluded from formal waste management systems, have now become vital agents of climate action and family wellbeing.
Addressing Air Pollution and Waste
Mega Gas’s work also directly addresses a critical and often overlooked source of air pollution.
While global attention often focuses on industrial emissions, the impact of local practices is staggering.
According to a 2023 report from the Clean Air Fund on air pollution in Nairobi, the number one cause of air pollution is a complex mix of sources, with road transport being the largest contributor to PM2.5 concentrations at 40%.
However, the report also identifies the illegal burning of waste (25%) and the use of biomass fuels for cooking (15%) as major contributors.
These findings underscore the importance of Mega Gas’s work in combating two of Nairobi’s most damaging air pollution sources.
Furthermore, the problem of plastic waste has a direct and immediate impact on communities, as Peter Mwangi Njeri also noted in the same interview:
“When children come into contact with plastic that has biohazards, they suffer from serious burns. Land that could have been used for agriculture has been infested with plastic waste. Lakes and rivers are infested, devastating our ecosystems.”
By reducing both plastic burning and reliance on biomass fuels, Mega Gas contributes to cleaner air, healthier families, and safer environments.
Scaling for the Future
Looking ahead, Mega Gas is poised for significant scale.
The company’s plan is to serve 80,000 households monthly by growing its production capacity, hiring, and investing in digitization.
This expansion would see the company stop a total of 142,004.84 tons of COâ‚‚ emissions each month, with a long-term goal of a cumulative reduction of over 5.4 million tons of COâ‚‚ by the year 2050.
At this scale, Mega Gas would also be recycling about 869 tons of plastic waste monthly, a monumental step toward mitigating the plastic pollution crisis.
Such ambitions place the company at the heart of Kenya’s green transition and align with wider global commitments to tackle climate change, particularly Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on affordable clean energy, climate action, and responsible consumption.
A Local Solution with Global Resonance
Mega Gas is more than a business; it is a testament to the power of a localized, innovative approach to solve interconnected global problems.
By converting plastic waste into clean energy, the company provides a sustainable and affordable alternative that improves health, empowers communities, and protects the environment for future generations.
What was once considered a pollutant is now being turned into power, and in the process, Mega Gas is redefining what clean cooking can mean for Kenya and beyond.
