Clean energy: The expensive but efficient technology we should embrace

But there are numerous adverse health effects associated with biomass fuel use including low birth weight, cataracts, cardiovascular disease, asthma, tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lower respiratory tract infections.

This is because burning biomass emits large amounts of pollutants, just like burning other solid fuels such as coal. Burning organic material emits particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, mercury and other hazardous air pollutants.

To replace biomass with clean energy the government has since set January 31, 2025, as the deadline for the use of charcoal and firewood by public institutions such as schools, hospitals and prisons. All institutions that serve not less than 100 people are expected to stop using firewood and charcoal by January 31, 2024, while those serving people whose numbers start at 200 have been ordered to stop using the energy source on January 31, 2025.

For, apart carbon emission and related health risks, felling of trees for charcoal destroy the environment. Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office (Union and Environment), Dr Seleman Jafo, recently said that more than 46,960 hectares of forests, equivalent to 26 percent of Tanzania’s landmass, get destroyed every year due to the felling of trees for firewood and charcoal.

Embracing clean energies also come in the form of new technologies such as e-mobility which is gaining momentum in Tanzania, becoming increasingly important for economic prosperity among transport stakeholders in the country.

The new concept refers to the use of electric propulsion for a wide range of transportation types. E-mobility involves use of electric vehicles that are fully or partly driven electrically, have a means of storing energy on board, and obtain their energy mainly from the power grid.

These include cars, motorcycles, buses, trucks, trains and off-road vehicles, as well as ships, ferries and other marine vessels such as boats. Although Tanzania has not done very well in this area due to its expensiveness, there is a need to mobilize for greater uptake given that e-mobility helps reduce emissions from transport and improve air quality.

The migration from use of petrol and disease to electricity as an alternative energy to run vehicles in Tanzania is possible after the latest report revealed that the number of vehicles using electricity in the country has increased considerably.

The report released by Africa E-Mobility Alliance (AFEMA) which was released in April this year shows that there are at least 5,000 electric vehicles operating in the country since electricity use for vehicles came into being.

Despite having the largest number of vehicles using electricity amongst the East African Community (EAC) member states, Tanzania has registered only 11 e-mobility companies.

The number of companies is still very low compared to projected demand to effectively manage and lead the sub-sector. This explains why investors have so far raised about USD 1 million in investments IN the last five years.

The companies are involved in importing, selling, retrofitting, servicing and charging electric vehicles, but still the SUB-sector remains relatively small due to a number of challenges.

Stakeholders say the aforementioned hurdles stifle significant opportunities in the relatively open field due to expensiveness of the imported electric vehicles and related appliances.

This is aggravated by the government tax regime for imported vehicles. But in the current 2023/24 fiscal year, the government undertook some initiatives in order to save the sub-sector. Minister for Finance and Planning Dr Mwigulu Nchemba highlighted a relief to transport stakeholders in his budget speech he read in parliament last month.

“I have come to realization that electric vehicles are currently out of reach for many Tanzanians due primarily to high import taxes charged.” he said and added that the same will be lowered to help bring them to parity with fossil fuel vehicles.

According to the minister, the government will exempt excise duty charged based on engine capacity of electric non-utility vehicles with only electric motor propulsion alongside Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles.

This measure is intended to enhance the use of electricity and natural gas available in the country and save foreign currency used to import fuel.

When contacted for comments, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy Felchesmi Mramba said that the government is doing all in its power to create an enabling business environment so as to promote investment in e-mobility sector.

According to him, the government is ready to partner with the private sector to ensure there are enough centres for charging electric vehicles in the country.

In a fresh bid to increase clean energy uptake, the PS further noted that the government has engaged a consultant to develop a strategy that will cover, among other things, the use of electric vehicles powered by compressed natural gas.

There are plans with similar technology use applied for electricity, the project which will link with the fast-growing Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (DART) infrastructure which is expanding its networks within the city.

The project is expected to have numerous benefits, including reducing carbon emissions among city commuters and reducing running costs for city commuters  as tricycles will be 100 percent powered by electricity.

According to Jacqueline Senyangwa, a project coordinator Solution Plus Projects, the initiative aims to demonstrate and test different types of innovative and integrated e-mobility solutions for different cities through the Urban Electric Mobility Initiative (UEMI)

The project will initially introduce 20 tricycles as part of e-mobility for transporting passengers to the first and last mile using environmentally friendly tricycles.

Such electric-powered tricycles are anticipated to benefit both operators and passengers in various ways because they are cost effective while minimizing carbon emissions that have negative consequences for humans and the environment.