**2. The Introduction and the Problem**

The objective of this chapter is to discuss the potential and implementation of biomass con‐ version to energy in Tanzania. Generally, the feasibility as well as suitability of the various categories of biomass to energy conversions in the country is presented. Detailed descrip‐ tions of potential conversion routes are included with their possible and existing scope of implementation. The most recent statistical data of food, commercial agricultural crops as source of biomass energy are reported from the available sources. Tanzania has abundant and diverse indigenous energy resources which are yet to be fully exploited. The sources in‐ clude; hydropower, mini-hydro, natural gas, coal, petroleum, wind, solar, and geothermal.

### **2.1. Hydropower sources**

The generation capacity of electricity was on a 60:40 hydro/thermal proportion before 2005. Following introduction and expanded use of natural gas usage in power generation, the hy‐ dro-thermal mix is now standing at 41:59 (including the emergency plants).Up to June 2012, electricity installed capacity is about 1,375.74 [7]of which represent about 41 percent is from hydropower sources. The other percentage is from thermal and oil.

Out of Tanzania's 41.9 million inhabitants, so far only 14 percent of urban and 2 percent of rural areas are electrified [5], which means that less than 12 percent have access to gridbased electricity or other forms of commercial electricity. The national electricity connectivi‐ ty is about 14%; though, it is expected that electricity demand will triple by 2020[8]. On the supply side, TANESCO increased connections by almost 66,000 in 2010 bringing the total number of its customers to 868,953 by the end of 2010. REA currently (2011) implements grid extension projects initially benefitting 20,000 new customers [9]. In the current setting demand will therefore even more outpace supply.

Moreover, Tanzania's electricity sector faces another important challenge since it is heavily dependent on hydropower, which means that energy provision cannot be ascertained in times of drought. This was clearly visible in the years 2010/2011, where re-curing droughts effectively removed around 420 MW from a system of around 900 MW, forcing the country to endure a programme of load shedding coupled with unplanned outages. With conse‐ quently suppressed sales the countries' utility TANESCO financial situation became increas‐ ingly parlous (on top of economic losses for non-productivity to the country as a whole).

This led to the design of an 572 MW Emergency Power Plan at the end of 2011, to be fully fuelled by liquid fossil fuels (HFO, JetA1, diesel) at (fuel) costs varying from 30-43 ct/ kWhThese are to be financed by TANESCO tariff revenues and through government guar‐ anteed loans, leading to an increasing weaker financial position of TANESCO. There is quite some critique on the EPP because it does not take into account planned natural gas supply projects, dispersed capacity owned by the private sector, and power projects to be commis‐ sioned already in the short and medium term. In general there is a disconnect between ex‐ pected power demand (both unconstrained -1089 MW- and constrained) and the total generation capacity (1855 MW) proposed by the EPP.[9]

### **2.2. Micro/Mini-hydro**

the 24 mainland regions, Dar es Salaam region has the greatest access to electricity; however,

The conventional energy sector, and in particular the electricity sector has not lived up to expectations of the Tanzanians. The sector is mainly characterized, among other problems, by unreliability power supply, low access levels at about 15% [5] low capacity utilization and availability factor; deficient maintenance of generation transmission facilities and equip‐ ment; poor procurement of spare parts due to liquidity problems; and high transmission

Provision of electricity is largely confined to urban middle and upper income groups as well as the formal commercial and industrial sub-sector. At the moment the energy sector is char‐ acterized by large and increasing import of liquid petroleum products, which account for significant proportions of export earnings. Liquid petroleum is used in electricity generation and in the transport sector. The transport sector is the major consumer of liquid petroleum product accounting to about 60% of total consumption. The high liquid petroleum products import bill expose the country's energy sector to the external energy price shocks. Renewa‐ ble energy such as ethanol would assist in mitigating the negative impact of high liquid pe‐

Tanzania is endowed with substantial renewable energy resources [4]. The renewable re‐ source potential in the country has not been fully exploited, but only to limited investment level;. Rural Energy Agency (REA) is making initiatives to disseminate information as the importance of renewable energy in the energy balance of the country. In addition, technical and financial barriers have contributed to the low levels of uptake of Renewable Energy Technologies (RETs) in the country. However, these constrains are being addressed by REA.

The objective of this chapter is to discuss the potential and implementation of biomass con‐ version to energy in Tanzania. Generally, the feasibility as well as suitability of the various categories of biomass to energy conversions in the country is presented. Detailed descrip‐ tions of potential conversion routes are included with their possible and existing scope of implementation. The most recent statistical data of food, commercial agricultural crops as source of biomass energy are reported from the available sources. Tanzania has abundant and diverse indigenous energy resources which are yet to be fully exploited. The sources in‐ clude; hydropower, mini-hydro, natural gas, coal, petroleum, wind, solar, and geothermal.

The generation capacity of electricity was on a 60:40 hydro/thermal proportion before 2005. Following introduction and expanded use of natural gas usage in power generation, the hy‐ dro-thermal mix is now standing at 41:59 (including the emergency plants).Up to June 2012, electricity installed capacity is about 1,375.74 [7]of which represent about 41 percent is from

hydropower sources. The other percentage is from thermal and oil.

less than 50 percent of all households in the regions are connected.

and distribution losses at 20% [6] are typical problems.

**2. The Introduction and the Problem**

troleum fuel imports

240 New Developments in Renewable Energy

**2.1. Hydropower sources**

It is estimated that 32 GWh per year [10] is generated from smaller systems, many of which are private schemes run by religious missionaries. The potential for micro/mini-hydro is large [4]; however, exploitation is still low because of barriers hindering full exploitation of these potentials.
