In mid October, I had the great opportunity to travel to Tanzania, as part of E+Co’s efforts to share clean energy knowledge and expertise between its local offices. I would bring some of the knowledge gained from our various solar photovoltaic and small hydroelectric projects in Central America to our newest African branch. It would be my first time in Africa, so I was obviously anxious to get there, happy to soon meet my Tanzanian colleagues, Immanuel and Betty, and very hopeful to get things in motion.
Soon after arriving and discovering how distant I was from anything I knew, I wondered what, if anything, I could teach of our experiences in Central America. How could E+Co make a difference in a country with nearly 34 million people without access to electricity? That’s well over the population of all Central American countries combined! Imagine the entire population only seeing through the orange hue of a candle after sunset, already accustomed to the smell of the soot and ash left by burnt firewood. If anything, I must first learn from Tanzanians and not the other way around.
E+Co has been making a difference in Tanzania long before it opened its office in Dar es Salaam in 2008. It has supported solar panel distributors and installers such as Zara Solar, Rex Investments, RESCO just to name a few. During the previous weeks I had read all of E+Co’s investments summaries in order to better understand the market. It surprised me that despite there being several businesses and competitors, they are all interrelated. There is a strong sense of market solidarity. Due to the regular scarcity of products and the long distances involved in getting solar systems to the remote locations of Tanzania, most of the competitors supply and rely on each other.
Early during my visit I had the chance to meet with Willfred Kiponya of Umeme Jua, one of the first and most respected solar PV businesses. It was a positive experience meeting him and learning how they are turning their business around. On my way out of their small offices I noticed a faded map on the wall diagramming all their retailers stretching throughout Tanzania. It didn’t do justice to the huge area covered and the several hundred rural homes electrified, thanks to Umeme Jua.
But the main purpose of my visit was to bring in some of my experience in small scale hydroelectric projects. I was to show my colleague and Investment Officer Imanuel “the Teacher” Muro some of the important technical, business and financial factors that make a small hydro project work. So we turned to TaTedo.
E+Co has had a close business relationship since 2001 with TaTedo (Tanzania Traditional Energy Development and Environmental Organization) and has invested in its efficient cook stoves business. However, it has been this last year that TaTedo has been exploring a bundled hydroelectric project consisting of twelve mini and small generators with a combined installed capacity of 2 megawatts. On my visit to TaTedo, I met the reputable Mr. Estomih Sawe, whom I believe has the vision and drive to lead the way and bring clean energy to 15 villages in the Usumbara Mountains. In doing so, TaTedo will be a pioneer and lead other small scale hydro developments. This will contribute to poverty alleviation in Tanzania. Bringing electricity to this mountainous region could undoubtedly bring more access to health and education centers as well as generate more commerce.
In answering my initial question, E+Co can go far supporting excellent and committed project developers such as Umeme Jua or TaTedo. Ultimately these entrepreneurs are the ones who make the difference and set the example for future development projects.
I definitely hope to return to Tanzania soon enough. Upon my next trip I hope to have more time and head out to the Selous Reserve. I still have to hear the silent steps of elephants. Or even better would be finding my way to Lushoto up in the Usumbara mountains and hear the gentle hum of a Pelton Turbine (or twelve) powering nearby communities.
Thanks so much for this post. It was great to read about the SIZE of Tanzania and how, despite the size and large unelectrified population energy through enterprise is making progress.