WB group unveils spotting map for wind and solar investments potentials

TANZANIA is said to have larger atmospheric spaces whereby wind and solar sustainable renewable energy resources are potential enough for future power generation investments, the World Bank study report has revealed. The report which was unveiled yesterday in Dar es Salaam shows that almost the central part of the country and those of the southern highland regions are potentially viable for the investments of solar and wind renewable energy generation. This is the first phase project that aimed to assess and mapping the country’s main locations for renewable energy resources currently being undertaken by the World Bank Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme (ESMAP). Speaking to journalists after the initial inauguration of the report, the Managing Director of the Tanzania Electricity Supply Company (TANESCO) Felchesmi Mramba said that, the assessment carried provides to the government and his firm clear information needed to strategically guide future viable developments that would lead to negotiate prices and take an account of environmental and social constraints. He said the map which shows solar isolation in different parts of the country will be a good guidance to all investors who are interested on investing in solar power projects with a view to speed up the expansion of sustainable power generation that would benefit the isolated rural community in the country. He said the second phase of the project which would soon start would involve identifying the costs of the renewable power generation, whereas the third one would enable the country embark on the actual investment whereby private sector would be involved to explore such business potentials in the country. 

However, when asked by this papers t to substantiate if there were any difficulties that stood as obstacles to the development of the renewable energy, he said that, the costs for running projects in the country are rather expensive. The yesterday’s inauguration of the study report was done in sidelines with the inauguration of solar monitoring station at Physics Department at the College of Natural and Applied Sciences of the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM). The station helps to collect data from far flung areas to enable do a research activities at the university associated with the renewable energy power generation. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Knowledge Exchange Professor Cuthb ert Kimambo said that, his department is the leading centre which has been helping science students for the research activities on renewable energies since it was established as a faculty of the UDSM in 1976. HE said the machines placed at the building are very powerful and modern that enables to collect data on solar irradiance, and with these data a researcher becomes more specific been doing a research for design.  On his part, an Energy Specialist with the World Bank Anders Pedersen said that, the three phases of the projects that started in October 2014, would cost a whopping of $ 2.85 million on its completion. He said his organization signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with government of Tanzania which was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry of Energy and Minerals with a view to facilitate the move to save the ailing energy  sector in the country.