| Petroleum,
hydropower and coal are the major source of commercial energy in
the country. The biomass energy resource, which comprises fuel-wood and charcoal from both natural forest and plantations,
accounts for 93 per cent of total energy consumption.
Petroleum
is imported. The transport sector is the main consumer of
petroleum products. Presently only 70 per cent of the demand for
petroleum is met. There are a number of companies exploring for
oil, but so far no positive results have been found. However
natural gas, which is available, is to be the likely substitute
for oil.
Electricity
subsector contributes about 0.6 per cent of total energy
consumption. Electricity is mainly generated from hydropower -
which is prone to draught effects- so some thermal power stations
have been installed. There are plans
to connect with neighbouring countries of Zambia and Uganda to the
national grid to boost the supply of electricity.
Only
three quarters of the country (mainly urban areas) is connected to
the national grid. It is intended that the rest of the country,
including an estimated 8,200 villages should be supplied with
electricity to curb deforestation. In addition there are plans to
supply power to Kenya and Malawi from Tanzania.
Tanzania
has per capita electricity consumption of 46/KWh per annum, which
is growing at the rate of 11 - 13 per cent. Hence the government
is encouraging investment to expand generating capacity,
distribution system and developing indigenous sources of energy.
There
are other indigenous alternative sources of energy which include
coal. Tanzania has 1,200 million metric tons, which could provide
energy for paper mills, cement factories, agriculture and
household consumption, and generation of power.
Wind
and solar energy is another source of energy. Very little attempt
has been made to utilize this source of energy which could be a
viable alternative source to reduce use of wood and oil for
heating purposes. |
