Tanzania embraces clean energies

  1. Posted on Tuesday 21 April 2009 - 22:23
    deo
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    Deo Simba, VoicesofAfrica mobile reporter in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
    Start up cost for buying gas stove and the gas cylinder is out of reach for most Tanzanians. At the same time, using gas as alternative source of energy has proved to be very efficient, economic, user-friendly with many more advantages compared to use of charcoal.
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    Meanwhile, deforestation continues at an unabated rate. Thousands of tonnes that Dar es Salaam alone receives on a daily basis amounts to more than 700,000 cubic meters of trees per annum. The loss is big. Such a huge loss in trees has noticeable effects on the environment. Discovery of natural gas in southern Tanzania, if managed well, could provide a solution to this dilemma.

    The government may have to make deliberate decisions to try and bring down initial costs before a household starts using gas as the alternative fuel. Currently, a 7 kilogramme weighing tin of charcoal sells at TZS 1000 (about US $ 0.80). An average household may need a minimum of 2 tins a day.

    This is far more expensive compared to TZS 30,000.00 (about US $25) that such a household may spend on gas in a month. Above all, gas has a multiple-advantages including: lighting happens in just an instant, cooking utensils do not get that much dirty, with improved technology there is less danger of a fire breakout.

    Currently, the initial cost is on the average of TZS 220,000.00 (about US $ 200.00). Use of gas is therefore one of the means through which the environment can be conserved; besides time spent on lighting a charcoal fire will be used on other beneficial activities of the household, which may result in improved economic status of the households.

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