Promoting the sustainable use of solar photovoltaic technology in Tanzania

Tanzania solar

This Technical Assistance Advances Tanzania's

Context

Tanzania’s population that has access to grid electricity is very low particularly in the rural settings, which hosts the larger proportion of the population. In rural Tanzania access to the grid is 6.6% of which the 4.6% electrified by the grid and 2% is electrified by the solar photovoltaic. The population connected to the grid countrywide by the year 2012 was 20.7%. The United Republic of Tanzania (URT) has admitted the inability to extend the grid to cover the entire country due to a diverse number of challenges that limit access. As a result, URT encourages the enabling of off-grid communities to access sustainable electricity using off-grid renewable energy technologies such as solar photovoltaic systems.

Most rural and sub-urban off-grid communities generally use kerosene for lighting (88.9% of rural households). Kerosene as used for lighting contributes to climate change through emission of greenhouse gases and black carbon particulates emitted from the lanterns. In addition the emitted greenhouse gases and black carbon particulates cause problems of acute respiratory diseases, cancer and heart disease.

Assistance Requested

In regard to use of solar photovoltaic technology, the CTCN is requested to assist with the following:

  • End user awareness raising
  • Training of solar installers
  • Training of solar retailers
  • Training of the district officers on the renewable energy management
  • Establishment of reference service
  • Advocacy of the solar regulations enforcement
  • Advocacy for development and enforcement of the electronic waste management

Key technology addressed

Expected Benefits

Medium impacts

  • Increased awareness of the presence of substandard products in Tanzania market
  • Increased knowledge of solar installers on the identification of substandard solar photovoltaic products
  • Increased knowledge of the solar photovoltaic retailers on the quality products
  • Availability of district council officers with knowledge in renewable energy management
  • Availability of solar customer procurement reference point
  • Scaled up reinforcement of solar photovoltaic regulations
  • Implemented advocacy on the development and enforcement of the electronic waste management

Long term impacts

  • Increased adaptation of solar photovoltaic technologies and reduced emission of greenhouse gases and black carbon.
  • Increased life span of the installed solar photovoltaic systems for the public centres
  • Protected end users from economic loss, environmental and health negative effects
  • Increased fair solar photovoltaic trading
  • Protected environment from electronic wastes resulting from the use of solar photovoltaic technologies

Facts

Date of submission
Geographical scope
National
Countries
Tanzania
Budget range
$150-200k
Objective
Mitigation
Phase
Completed
Sectors
Renewable energy

Project details

Final type of assistance
Decision-making tools and/or information provision
Request NDE
Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology
Implementors
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
This technical assistance advances the following Sustainable Development Goals
CTCN
CTCN
CTCN

Key documents