The Voice Of Natacha Cambriels, Vice President LPG and Clean Cooking at TotalEnergies, and WLGA Board member
The Voice is delighted to speak with with Natacha Cambriels, Vice President LPG and Clean Cooking at TotalEnergies, and a Board member, Treasurer and Chair of the Cooking For Life Africa Task Force (CFLA) at the WLGA, about advancing clean cooking solutions and the growing momentum around this critical issue following recent discussions at the International Energy Agency (IEA).
The Voice: As a Board Member, Treasurer, and Chair of the CFLA at the World Liquid Gas Association, what are your main priorities and expectations for the Association’s work in the year ahead?
Natacha Cambriels: As Chair of the CFLA, my priorities focused on achieving one main goal: accelerating access to cleaner and safer solutions for cooking in Africa by switching from traditional biomass to LPG as cooking fuel.
In practical terms, this relies on three pillars:
- strengthening the role of LPG to replace charcoal or wood and reduce indoor pollution
- advocating for a regulatory framework which strictly prevents illegal cylinders refilling and promotes cylinder recirculation model
- and finally, supporting investments in reliable infrastructure and inclusive models that facilitate household access.
The Association shall continue to serve as a driving force for raising awareness, influencing key stakeholders and promoting standardisation. WLGA plays a key role in coordinating the efforts of the industry to support governments and private stakeholders and secure a safe and sustainable deployment of clean cooking globally.
Finally, on a more personal tone, I am particularly motivated by the impact that access to LPG has on gender and economic equality. Households without clean cooking access spend an average of two hours per day collecting wood, task mainly done by women.
TV: TotalEnergies is a major global energy player. Could you tell us about the company’s strategic direction and the key drivers shaping its growth over the coming years?
NC: TotalEnergies’ strategy is built on a strong conviction: the energy transition will only succeed if it fully includes emerging countries and their socio‑economic realities. Our company has the mission of providing energy that is more available, more affordable, more sustainable, and accessible to as many people as possible.
When it comes to clean cooking initiative, our growth is structured around three priorities.
- Accelerating access to clean and reliable energy. We are committed to providing clean cooking to 100 million people by 2030, 85 million in Africa, 15 million in India, supported by more than $400 million to be invested in LPG supply chain.
- Strengthening local LPG infrastructures: improving our LPG distribution network, getting the right filling capacities in place and a constant supply of cylinders to meet our ambition, while strictly respecting our technical and safety standards. We also aim to get our cylinders produced locally, thereby supporting jobs and skills development in the countries where we operate. Currently 70 % of our cylinders are produced locally.
- Innovating to improve affordability, notably through partnerships with innovative digital startups and local compagnies which deploy pay‑as‑you‑cook and micro financing models that facilitate household adoption of LPG reducing the upfront cost.
These levers combine environmental impact, local development, and sustainable growth, at the heart of our clean cooking strategy.
TV: Clean cooking has gained renewed global attention, particularly in light of recent IEA discussions. Why is this issue so urgent today?
NC: Clean cooking is first and foremost a major public health issue: indoor air pollution caused by wood and charcoal is one of the leading causes of premature deaths among women in sub‑Saharan Africa. LPG can reduce this pollution by up to 98%.
It is also an economic and gender equality issue: families without clean solutions spend around two hours a day collecting firewood, a task carried out mainly by women and young girls. Clean cooking improves access to education and employment, by freeing up valuable time for more productive activities.
Finally, it is an environmental issue: basic cooking methods using wood and charcoal contribute to deforestation leading to the disappearance of forests equivalent to Ireland area each year.
The urgency is therefore threefold: health, equality and environment, which explains why the topic is now central in international discussions.
TV: Looking ahead, what does success look like for you personally in advancing clean cooking?
NC: Success is based on three key indicators:
- A massive and safe adoption of clean‑cooking solutions, supported by well‑enforced regulatory standards.
- A real impact on households, measured by the reduction in firewood use, the improvement of indoor air quality, and the decrease in time spent collecting wood.
- Sustainable local economic development, through training, local economic development, and job creation in distribution, cylinders production and infrastructure.
In a few words: reducing energy poverty while protecting people’s health and developing ecosystems, in a tangible and measurable way.
TV: Is there anything else you wish to add?
NC: Clean cooking plays a decisive role in development, as it affects the well‑being, safety and economic opportunities of millions of households. Beyond its importance, it is above all a field where success depends on collective effort. No single actor can transform the sector alone.
To scale up, it is essential to strengthen cooperation between all stakeholders, governments, industry, local players, to build reliable supply chains, implement consistent safety standards and strengthen affordable economic models. Safety must remain the cornerstone of this approach: it determines public trust, operator investment and market sustainability.
Clean cooking is not only a technological or energy ambition: it is a societal project, one that can only succeed if all stakeholders move forward together towards a common goal. In TotalEnergies and WLGA we are strongly committed to make it happen. Come and join us!
.
