**4. Leading renewable energy resources in Tanzania**

Although biomass is the main source of energy in Tanzania particularly in the rural area, the country is still relying heavily on imported commercial energy in the form of oil and petroleum products; characteristic of all non-oil producing economies. In this aspect, most planners have simplified their work by directing their attention on fossil-fuel, especially petroleum where data is easily available. Thus, more investigation has been on commercial fuels and less on biomass fuel or other renewable energy sources. However, as the effect of fossil fuel on the environment and climate change is becoming serious than before, the attention is now shifting towards renewable energy resources utilization. As this shift is taking pace, more research and resources must be undertaken and used in developing renewable energy technologies for sustainability of the country. In this sub-section the focus is on establishing leading renewable energy sources in the country which can be used as input in renewable energy technologies in generation of energy.

Modern biomass comprises a range of products derived from photosynthesis and is in fact chemical solar energy storage in nature. This type of renewable energy represents a renewable storage of carbon in the biosphere. Wind energy is a result of thermal heating of the earth by the sun, having global patterns of a semi continuous nature. Geothermal renewable energy originates from heat stored beneath the surface of the earth. The source of this energy is from the earth's molten interior and the decay of radioactive materials. Solar energy is a result of radiation from the sun. Another form of renewable energy which has great potential in future is industrial waste heat. This form of energy is a result of unused heat streams from industrial processes. Manufacturing and processing industries such as Paper and Textiles are one of the major sources of this kind of renewable energy.

By definition, renewable energy sources should provide a continuous and unlimited supply of energy in particular to rural areas. However, several barriers are hindering promotion and penetration of its use. Barriers such as technical difficulties, the intermittent nature and some of the renewable energy sources, as well as constraints still pose limits to their wide promotion and deployment.

It is the fact that renewable energy sources are almost an unlimited supply of energy if one considers the energy required by mankind compared with the extremely large amount of energy we receive from the sun. For sustainable development, modern energy services require the growing inclusion of renewable energy into the sustainable energy mix of the country.

The technologies used now and in the future for conversion of renewable energy sources to heat; electricity and or fuels are plentiful in the country. These technologies can play part and contribute to the energy mix of the country. Their development will contribute to the gradual lowering of technology prices on the one hand and to improvement in their efficiency on the other hand. In the future, it is anticipated that renewable energy and its different energy conversion technologies will become economically viable, capable of competing with fossil-fuelled technologies in the Tanzanian market. However, this will succeed only if all the barriers will be tackled.

In the country there are several leading renewable energy sources which can be used in generating electricity in particular to rural areas. In the following sub-sections, the leading sources are discussed in detail. The information from these sub-sections was obtained from the assessment conducted from 2006 to 2010[Kusekwa et al., 2007].

#### **4.1 Biomass energy**

Energy consumption in the Tanzanian households accounts for more than 88 percent of the total energy, most being biomass. The trend is not expected to fall in the near future but to continue increasing as demand of energy increases. The increase is attributed to low pace of rural electrification caused by high cost of connection material, labour and high cost connection fees charged by the utility company which the majority of the rural poor population cannot afford. In this aspect, only biomass is still serving as the only affordable source of energy. However, utilization of conventional biomass is still high in most rural areas i.e. direct use of firewood, dung or semi processed in the form of charcoal. In this way, there is a need of sensitization to the population to use the available technologies or develop modern technologies which will be of great beneficial to the user. Thus, new technologies or improving the existing ones have to be undertaken to add value to raw biomass and discourage the user to continue using the conventional methods.

Biomass sources suitable for energy generation in Tanzania covers a wide range of materials from firewood collected in farmlands; natural woods from agricultural and forestry crops grown specifically for energy generation or other purposes; crop residues and cow dung. It includes solid waste, timber processing residues etc. The most significant energy end-user is cooking and heating. During the assessment process, it was established that biomass sources can be divided into four major categories:


50 Renewable Energy – Trends and Applications

is on establishing leading renewable energy sources in the country which can be used as

Modern biomass comprises a range of products derived from photosynthesis and is in fact chemical solar energy storage in nature. This type of renewable energy represents a renewable storage of carbon in the biosphere. Wind energy is a result of thermal heating of the earth by the sun, having global patterns of a semi continuous nature. Geothermal renewable energy originates from heat stored beneath the surface of the earth. The source of this energy is from the earth's molten interior and the decay of radioactive materials. Solar energy is a result of radiation from the sun. Another form of renewable energy which has great potential in future is industrial waste heat. This form of energy is a result of unused heat streams from industrial processes. Manufacturing and processing industries such as

By definition, renewable energy sources should provide a continuous and unlimited supply of energy in particular to rural areas. However, several barriers are hindering promotion and penetration of its use. Barriers such as technical difficulties, the intermittent nature and some of the renewable energy sources, as well as constraints still pose limits to their wide

It is the fact that renewable energy sources are almost an unlimited supply of energy if one considers the energy required by mankind compared with the extremely large amount of energy we receive from the sun. For sustainable development, modern energy services require the growing inclusion of renewable energy into the sustainable energy mix of the

The technologies used now and in the future for conversion of renewable energy sources to heat; electricity and or fuels are plentiful in the country. These technologies can play part and contribute to the energy mix of the country. Their development will contribute to the gradual lowering of technology prices on the one hand and to improvement in their efficiency on the other hand. In the future, it is anticipated that renewable energy and its different energy conversion technologies will become economically viable, capable of competing with fossil-fuelled technologies in the Tanzanian market. However, this will

In the country there are several leading renewable energy sources which can be used in generating electricity in particular to rural areas. In the following sub-sections, the leading sources are discussed in detail. The information from these sub-sections was obtained from

Energy consumption in the Tanzanian households accounts for more than 88 percent of the total energy, most being biomass. The trend is not expected to fall in the near future but to continue increasing as demand of energy increases. The increase is attributed to low pace of rural electrification caused by high cost of connection material, labour and high cost connection fees charged by the utility company which the majority of the rural poor population cannot afford. In this aspect, only biomass is still serving as the only affordable source of energy. However, utilization of conventional biomass is still high in most rural areas i.e. direct use of firewood, dung or semi processed in the form of charcoal. In this way, there is a need of sensitization to the population to use the available technologies or develop modern technologies which will be of great beneficial to the user.

Paper and Textiles are one of the major sources of this kind of renewable energy.

input in renewable energy technologies in generation of energy.

promotion and deployment.

succeed only if all the barriers will be tackled.

the assessment conducted from 2006 to 2010[Kusekwa et al., 2007].

country.

**4.1 Biomass energy** 


It was noted that landfill biogas generation is dependent on environmental consideration and waste management practices in particular in the semi-urban and urban areas. The potential for exploitation of this source of renewable energy is high and will continue increasing in the near future because more and more people are migrating to semi-urban or urban areas where they consider opportunities for getting jobs and having good life. The semi-urban areas are now changing into big towns and the cities are growing and becoming bigger and complex. Hence, more wastes are expected to be generated daily.

Biomass is one of the renewable sources capable of making contribution to the future Tanzanian energy supply as well as contributing in job creation and hence poverty alleviation. During assessment process it was established that there are several forms in which biomass can be used for energy generation. Three sources are common i.e. residue, natural resources and energy crops. Residues are divided into three categories. The categories analysed are given in Table 6.
