Ethanol set to play an important role in Tanzania’s clean cooking transition

For decades, over 90 per cent of Tanzanian households have relied on biomass fuels, mainly charcoal and firewood, for their daily cooking needs. This dependence has come at a heavy cost, both to the environment and public health.

The country lost about 3.9 million hectares of forest between 2010 and 2020 due to unsustainable charcoal production, while indoor air pollution caused by smoke from traditional fuels continues to claim more than 33,000 lives annually.

Ethanol is now being touted as a sustainable, affordable, and cleaner alternative capable of transforming Tanzania’s cooking landscape while improving health and creating rural jobs.

According to Head of Strategy and Business Development at Greenergy Climate (Tz), Mohammed Kadhi, yesterday, he told The Citizen, ethanol offers multiple benefits.

“It provides a sustainable, affordable and cleaner alternative that can transform Tanzania’s cooking landscape while improving health and creating rural jobs,” he said.

Unlike charcoal, ethanol burns without smoke or soot, and can be produced locally from crops such as cassava, maize, sugarcane molasses, and sorghum.

The approach, described as a ‘farm-to-kitchen fuel model’, aims to promote rural industrialisation through the establishment of 20 distilleries across various regions, each producing up to 50,000 litres of ethanol per day.

The ethanol stoves designed for this initiative are durable, efficient, and comparable to LPG stoves, but more affordable.

A litre of ethanol, retailing at around Sh3,000, can cook three meals for two days, making it cheaper and safer than charcoal, whose prices have continued to rise sharply.

Mr Kadhi noted that the model presents a win-win solution for both households and the environment.

“It saves money, supports farmers, and keeps energy spending within the local economy,” he explained.

Beyond its environmental benefits, the ethanol initiative is expected to generate tens of thousands of jobs across the agricultural, manufacturing, and distribution sectors.

Each distillery will employ plant operators, engineers, logistics coordinators, and quality control specialists, while local assembly plants for ethanol stoves will create more opportunities for technicians and packaging workers.

In addition, smallholder farmers are set to benefit from stable and predictable incomes through structured supply chains that link cooperatives to processing centres and distilleries.

Women and youth are expected to be among the key beneficiaries, as they will be directly integrated into the ethanol value chain, from farming and transport to retail.

Greenergy Climate estimates that once fully scaled, ethanol production could reach 300 million litres per year, directly benefiting at least 10 million Tanzanians.

“The ripple effects will be felt across every sector, from agriculture and transport to retail and finance,” said Mr Kadhi.

The ethanol drive also carries implications for national energy security. With Tanzania importing over 403,000 tonnes of LPG in the 2023/24 fiscal year, at a cost of about $250 million in foreign exchange, the shift to locally produced ethanol is expected to reduce reliance on imported fuels.

Ethanol can be stored safely and easily, allowing the country to maintain strategic reserves and shield households from global fuel price shocks.

The infrastructure being developed for ethanol production could later support blending with petrol, further strengthening Tanzania’s energy independence.

Environmentalists have described the ethanol initiative as a lifeline for the country’s threatened forests.

Maintaining the current trajectory of charcoal and firewood use could result in the loss of five million acres of forest over the next decade, an area larger than the combined size of Dar es Salaam and Mtwara regions.

In contrast, adopting ethanol on a large scale could save these forests, prevent more than 300,000 premature deaths, and significantly cut national carbon emissions.

“This is not just about cooking; it’s about protecting lives, forests, and our climate,” Mr Kadhi said, calling for greater collaboration between the government, investors, and civil society.

Greenergy Climate (Tz) Ltd is urging the government to integrate ethanol into national clean cooking policies and establish a Tanzania National Ethanol Working Group to guide coordination and investment.

The company is also seeking partnerships with NGOs, financial institutions, and universities to promote consumer awareness, financing, and research.

According to Mr Kadhi, success will depend on a collective national effort.

“The clean cooking revolution requires everyone, farmers, investors, households, and policymakers, to play their part,” he emphasised.

With charcoal prices rising, forests shrinking, and public health at risk, the ethanol revolution represents not just a cleaner way to cook, but a chance for Tanzania to redefine its energy future.