Current and on-going projects
Access to energy is constrained by a number of factors. At the end user level, factors limiting success include that of low income, lack of financing as well as lack of awareness. On the entrepreneur/suppliers side, lack of capital, lack of technical competencies and entrepreneurial skills are limiting factors. TaTEDO has taken up a new strategy in which local level structures in rural areas play a key role for scaling up energy access. Sustainable Energy Development Clusters (SEDCs) will be formed to ensure that all efforts are made to establish and strengthen the involved actors to work efficiently in facilitating sustainable energy access in rural areas. Members of these clusters can be TaTEDO staff, energy entrepreneurs, local government staff, etc.
The general objective of this project is to build capacity of TaTEDO staff and her partners in the SEDCs in providing technical and business support to energy entrepreneurs. Specifically the project aims to coach TaTEDO staff on business coaching to energy entrepreneurs and to improve TaTEDO’s capacity in information collection, processing, packaging and sharing so that the experiences and lessons learned through this program will be used by other energy entrepreneurs to develop their business.
In Tanzania biogas systems are used on a small scale: over a period of 10 years around 6000 biogas plants have been built. However, the biogas models in place are quite expensive (around US$ 1400), which is a limiting factor for the commercial upscaling of the technology. The objective of this project is to pilot a low-cost, low-maintenance biogas model in Tanzania that has been successfully used in Vietnam and Colombia, where the construction of such models is already a business for local masons and can survive without subsidies.
CCRD from Vietnam has an impressive track record in the construction of VACVINA biogas plants in Vietnam. Two experts from Vietnam have built the technological capacity with TaTEDO on the construction of low-cost biogas models. To ensure the involvement of entrepreneurs, a number of technicians/entrepreneurs that are currently active, or that have the potential and motivation to be active in the biogas sector have participated in the exchange.
Two biogas systems have been successfully built. TaTEDO is working on adapting the training material as well as the technology to the Tanzanian context, and looks into the possibilities for the commercial introduction of the technology.
This project is implemented in cooperation with Zara Solar, a leading private sector player in the solar sector in Tanzania. Zara Solar works with a network of over 35 self-employed technicians, who do the installations and take care of after sales service. This project aims to develop a sustainable cooperation with the local micro-finance institutions SACCOS to promote solar systems to their members, both for household use and for income generating use. The SACCOS will offer the systems to their members on credit, according to the terms of the SACCOS. In each SACCO at least one member will be trained as solar technician to be able to install, maintain and repair the systems. The first systems will be installed in cooperation with Zara Solar technicians.
In the prospective next step Zara Solar will support its dealers in the wider region of to develop similar cooperation. The emphasis in this project is on developing the optimal organization of the cooperation between the supplier of the solar system, Zara Solar, and the SACCOS in the project area.
Part of the people in rural areas in Tanzania cannot afford solar home systems, therefore this project focuses on the test marketing a low-cost LED based solar lanterns developed. This project is initiated by Umeme Jua, established in 2002 and a key player in the development of market for solar products in Tanzania.
Umeme Jua aims to provide affordable and reliable access to electricity for rural households and SME’s. To further promote such access to solar products for improving the livelihoods of rural people, Umeme Jua sees the introduction of low cost solar lanterns for rural households as a priority, together with further capacity building of its dealers.
In Dar es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania, and the immediate surrounding inefficient stoves are widely employed for household as well as for productive and commercial use. Most people in Dar es Salaam depend on charcoal as cooking fuel. Current cooking problems involve indoor air pollution due to smoke from cooking fires, and increasing charcoal prices.
The improved woodstove has been developed to give the poor access to clean cooking. To develop a market for the woodstove Pumps and Solar International has bought 50 stoves for commercial testing in Dar es Salaam region. This project involves conducting a market potential survey; identifying distribution channels; identification of training needs and materials; and after sales requirements. Depending on the outcome of the test phase ETC will continue support to P&S to pilot the product on a larger scale in Tanzania.
Apart from the challenges in energy access, the project partners in Tanzania encounter several difficulties that relate to business development, upscaling and how to best cooperate with local private sector. Therefore a locally business development expert has been contracted to support the EASE partners through a tailored coaching process.
Completed projects
Many rural people are interested in setting up a small bread-baking business with the charcoal oven developed by TaTEDO. EASE therefore developed an “EASY Mkate” business package, including delivery of hardware, baking and business training and promotion items like breadbags and aprons.
The project aims to reach 100 people with this package by the end of 2006. It joined forces with local dealers, experienced local trainers, national hire-and-purchase company Tunakopesha Ltd., and local sales teams to reach interested customers. The package costs €115 for a small and €185 for a large oven.
This project is scaling up dissemination of various models of improved wood stoves and aims to reach 1000 households in four regions in Tanzania by the end of 2006. To achieve this, partnerships have been sought with local dealers and suppliers of stove parts. An important role is played by the local technicians who build the stoves. They are not only trained in stove-making but also in marketing skills.
The stoves vary in price from €30 for a rocket stove to €7 for a liner stove. In August, organised promotion and sales tours started in 10 villages in Kilimanjaro and Arusha.
TaTEDO plans to introduce multifunctional platforms (MFP) on a large scale in Tanzania. Mali-Folkecenter (who recently joined EASE) has ample experience with the platforms and shared its knowledge with TaTEDO during a two week exchange visit in June. The first installation is planned for this month in Engaruka (Monduli).
This project will provide access to energy services like milling, grinding, oil pressing, battery charging and mini-grid electrification to 50 households in Engaruka. Since there is relatively large production of jatropha seeds in the area, it is envisaged that the MFP will run on jatropha oil in the future. The MFP will be co-owned by the village, TaTEDO and Diligent (a jatropha company based in Arusha and partner in this project).
Sabuko village in the Kilimanjaro region is not connected to the grid. To improve lighting in the village, EASE-Tanzania has entered a partnership with the Faraja Diaconic Centre (FDC) to pilot renting solar lanters to 15-20 FDC employees. FDC will host the charging station for the lanterns and will be involved in project management. The lanterns are rented on a hire-purchase basis and are expected to be fully owned by the users after about two years.
Through EASE Direct Support, schools will get access to solar light and improved cook stoves. Three schools in Kilimanjaro have received this support recently. The lights at school are already used by the students and teachers in preparing for the national exams in the evening. The improved stoves remove smoke from the kitchen and save firewood. This has a positive impact on the environment and means that children will not have to bring wood to school as frequenly as before.
EASE Direct Support has developed an installation protocol for Tanzania, which can be applied to other EASE countries. The protocol ensures that the needs of the schools are met, that schools are actively involved, and that use is made of sustainable businesses for installation, maintenance and repair of solar PV systems.
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