Tanzania Makes the Initiative to Switch to Renewable Energy Sources

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Tanzania Makes the Initiative to Switch to Renewable Energy Sources

The use of Biomass energy saves the country of Tanzania about four billion dollars in energy inputs every year. Biomass energy refers to biological material from living or recently living organism most often referring to plants or plant derived materials, and it can be converted to biofuel (via thermal conversion, chemical conversion and biochemical conversion).  The use of biomass energy also generates more revenue in rural areas than the proceeds of coffee, tea, sisal and cashew nut exports combined.

Commissioner Mbise introduced the Ministry’s “Biomass Energy Strategy” in Tanzania (BEST). This initiative is supported by the European Union’s Energy Initiative- Partnership Dialogue Facility (EUEI-PDF) and it was initiated by the Ministry and its consultants (Camco Clean Energy Tanzania). Mbise called on authorities to come up with other sources of Energy to replace the use of charcoal and commercial fuel wood. BEST and key stakeholders are focused on the biomass energy sector and concerned with making a long-term strategy to help reduce the negative environmental effects of biomass energy use and production. A workshop was held to address the financial and revenue aspects of commercial biomass energy looking closely at topics like taxation, licensing, policy and trying to formalize the sector. Dr. Felician Kilahama (former director of Forestry and Bee Keeping Division) highlighted the important contribution biomass energy makes to Tanzia’s development and to the livelihood of hundreds of thousands of rural and urban Tanzanians. Dr.Kilahama noted that hundreds of thousands of people depend on the biomass energy sector for their livlihoods ( fish dryers, brick makers, restaurants, hotels, tobacco farmers and tea growers). Over 90% of Tanzanias energy consumption is biomass energy. Nearly 1,600 billion dollars is earned in the charcoal sector alone, making it useful not only in saving money but in generating revenue.

            Wood fuel is a renewable resource. You can grow trees relatively quickly compared to the time it takes to manufacture petroleum. One area that BEST could focus on in order to save money and use less wood fuel would be making the wood fuel they use last longer. It would be expensive to initiate renewable energy sources such as wind power plants, geothermal power plants, etc. however once in effect these operations would supply energy basically free of cost. The benefit would be that there is no toll on the environment or on the budget. Tanzania’s initiative to move to more renewable resources will only benefit their country.

Caroline Schenck

SOC 202-01

April 5, 2013 submitted 12:17 p.m.