Electrification connection rate has grown from 10 percent in 2007 to 36 percent in 2015.
Speaking to this paper on Tuesday this week Rural Energy Agency’s (REA) Technical Assistance Manager Eng Gissima Nyamo-Hanga said that those figures are expected to reach 75 percent by 2025 and 100 percent by 2030, a year set aside globally for sustainable energy for all.
Officiating three day training on behalf of REA’s Managing Director held in Dar es Salaam to the contractors, distributors and entrepreneurs of solar energy equipment, Nyamo-Hanga said rural electrification efforts cannot be undertaken in isolation, but rather by equally involving all responsible parties and other key stakeholders.
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| Patrick Nduwimana from US-based African Energy makes a presentation at a recent seminar for contractors, distributors and entrepreneurs of solar energy equipment. |
He said the training was held at the right time when the government has committed to fulfilling the global commitment of sustainable energy for all by 2030; and achieving the national electrification rate in accordance with the National Development Vision 2025.
The training that drew participants from the government, private sector, NGOs and CBOs was organised by Energy Plus of Tanzania in collaboration with Africa Energy of USA.
“Having a common understanding on issues and challenges facing the energy sector in Tanzania the government, private sector, financiers and other stakeholders are key step towards addressing those challenges in a focused and sustainable way.”
He further said that the combination of experts, government officials, entrepreneurs, technicians and engineers invited is the revelation of that truth; adding I urge this type of thinking and approach to be sustainable,” he urged.
Between 1990 and 2015, the government has continued to improving the business, legal and regulatory environment to attract capital, public and private investor’s participation in the energy sector.
This is witnessed by the formation of the energy department in the ministry of energy and minerals in mid eighties, the National Energy Policy in 1992 and its subsequent reviews in 2003 and 2014.
Others were the establishment of Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (Ewura) in 2001, Rural Energy Act of 2005, (new) Electricity Act of 2008, the Public Private Partnership Policy of 2009 and the Public Private Partnership Act of 2010.
He said the government was undertaking some initiatives to ensure proper functioning and operation of the energy sector in Tanzania.
According to him, the government has been supporting the Tanzania Renewable Energy Association (TAREA) which is a Non-Governmental umbrella association and voice of renewable energy stakeholders in Tanzania.
As an indication that it really intended to address the problem of energy in the country, the government established the Rural Energy Agency (REA) in 2007 as a special institution to support and further efforts directed towards rural electrification.
Nyamo-Hanga boasts that since REA’s initiation it has greatly contributed in the electrification of this country through partnering with public and private partners. REA has supported the implementation of grid extension projects, electrifying 25 new district headquarters and over 2000 villages.
REA has also supported development of over forty small hydropower projects of which three (Mawengi 300 KW, Mwenga 4MW and Andoya 1MW have started generation. And have connected over 4,500 rural businesses and households.
Nyamo-Hanga further noted that Solar PV initiatives for secondary schools, dispensaries, police posts and staff houses in rural areas have also been pursued.
He said that Sumbawanga Rural District Council was the first beneficiary of their sustainable solar market packages (SSMP) approach.
Other districts to benefit in that project will be Bukombe, Biharamulo, Chato, Sikonge, Kasulu, Kibondo, Tunduru and Namtumbo.
According to Eng Nyamo-Hanga said through SSMP approach REA will install solar PV systems in 534 villages, 26 health Centres, 201 dispensaries, 106 Secondary Schools and 991 staff houses for teachers, nurses and doctors. He said REA has also been supporting other technologies like biomass, biogas, charcoal and firewood briquettes and marketing, promotion supports.
Over nine secondary schools and three prison centres have been supported with the construction of institutional biogas plants for cooking and lighting.
Nyamo-Hanga said REA was also rolling out technology based (wind, solar, small hydro, biomass/biogas) and business plan, energy efficiency, environmental and social trainings which are open to all technicians and entrepreneurs upon application.
REA is also maintaining a special long term loan facility (up to 15 years) tenable through commercial banks of CRDB, NMB, NBC, Azania Bank, ECO Bank, United Bank of Africa and Stanbic.
For her part, the General Manager for Energy Plus Limited, Bernadetha Daudi said the training aimed at training participants on how to design and estimate size and capacity of solar systems, product knowledge and quality, customer service and relationships, design and installation of centralised micro-grids.
She however said that solar energy sector was being challenged by fake equipment in market the situation that needed more knowledge and training to address the challenges.
The Chief Executive Officer for Ageco Energy Vicent Mughwai, the Managing Director for Niche Essential Services, Mariam Hussein and Sales & Marketing Manager for Ensol Tanzania Limited Samanchogu Kihore all concurred with Daudi that solar energy sector was challenged by fake equipment sold at cheaper prices to consumers.
However, Mariam Hussein said that the training was very important as it enabled participants to indentify genuine from fake equipment. And it has assisted their customers on how to design better solar systems.
Mughwai has advised their customers to stick on quality but not on low prices. Kihore from Ensol (T) told the press that solar energy is environmental friendly and cost effective that reaches the remote areas where national grid is not available.
Kihore said that those modules are very important to technicians and entrepreneurs intending to trade and provide services in the area of solar PV.
He said it was even more important when their colleagues who are international manufacturers were here to show them how they work and how they can be repaired, trouble-shoot or maintained.
“Such opportunities are very rare; I mean opportunities when you come face to face with such important partners (international suppliers and manufacturers).”
Source: The Guardian
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