The Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) is a five-year programme (2018-2023) that aims to rapidly accelerate the transition from biomass (wood/charcoal) based cooking to modern, clean, low carbon energy-efficient alternative methods that utilise renewable sources of electricity such as solar photovoltaic systems.

The programme is funded by the UK Department for International Development (DfID) with a total budget of about GBP40 million (roughly EUR44 million) and implemented by the Loughborough University (UK) and the World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme (ESMAP). Geographical priorities of programme activities are Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.