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Every bit of energy resource is useful
2006-04-19 12:26:15
By Editor
The signs of the day are a pointer to government’s seriousness in developing and exploiting all available domestic energy resources.
This new zeal is emerging after learning hard lessons from the decades of over-reliance on unreliable hydro-power electricity generation.
It is unfortunate that even after achieving independence; we have been striving to build more dams for generating electric power while consciously aware that tropical weather patterns have never been predictable nor reliable.
So, when rainfall is insufficient over prolonged time, regardless of the number of dams available, the whole economy becomes ditched in a power supply quandary. The just ended six months or so of nationwide power shedding serves as a proximate thorny experience.
With hardly any option to fall back to, we had been forced to purchase power from an expensive source such as the controversial Independent Power Tanzania Limited (IPTL).
May be, bygones are bygones. The incumbent cabinet seems to be somber in its resolve to implement a strategy to mark a shifting from reliance on pricey and erratic thermal and hydro-power.
While official plans and actions for ensuring that Kiwira coal mine produces about 200mw of electricity to the national grid before end of next year seem to be well in course, a more comprehensive energy development strategy needs to be worked out.
Perhaps the contemporary official thinking is all about developing mega power projects in order to meet existing power demands as well as future energy needs. Over the long-run, this kind of policy option may not be sustainable.
Every bit of energy resource base needs to be exploited; solar, biogas, geothermal, natural gas, sugar cane crumbs (baggase), and even wind power!
Some of these sources are renewable and friendlier to the environment which is another plus. This, apparently, appears to be a policy challenge; how to seek an active engagement from all potential energy developers with a view to exploit every energy resource.
It works neatly this way: When, for instance, sugar processing companies use baggase to produce electricity for internal use, energy in the grid is saved for other purposes. Similarly, when a sugar factory generates surplus electricity, it can be sold to Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) and augment the total grid supply capacity.
Could someone think of an appropriate fiscal policy for encouraging the use of baggase for power generation? That is it.
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