Cooking beans with electricity too costly ? New stove has you covered
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy, Dr Dotto Biteko (left), hands over a gas cylinder to a food vendor in Dar es Salaam yesterday. Witnessing the event are the Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office (Union Affairs and the Environment) Dr Ashatu Kijaji (right) and in Oryx Gas Tanzania managing director Benoite Araman (centre). PHOTO | MICHEAL MATEMANGA
What you need to know:
- The use of dirty energy is linked to over 3.7 million deaths annually from respiratory diseases, affecting predominantly women and children.
Dar es Salaam. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy, Dr Doto Biteko, has announced a significant advancement in energy efficiency with the introduction of an electric stove that consumes less than one unit of electricity for cooking.
This initiative aims to shift public perception and encourage the adoption of electricity for cooking, highlighting its cost-effectiveness compared to traditional energy sources.
Dr Biteko made this announcement during a distribution event of 2,000 Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders to food vendors in the Dar es Salaam region.
This distribution is part of a broader government strategy to ensure that by 2034, 80 percent of Tanzanians will rely on clean energy for cooking, thus reducing dependence on harmful and inefficient energy sources.
“The misconception that cooking with electricity is expensive has been debunked by our study,” Dr Biteko stated. “The new stove can cook beans for just Sh240, which is significantly cheaper than the Sh2,500 to Sh3,000 required for cooking the same amount with charcoal.”
Dr Biteko stressed that the government's investment in the energy sector is aimed at expanding electricity access to rural areas, ensuring that electricity is utilized not just for lighting and electronics but also for cooking.
He emphasized that the shift to electricity for cooking could significantly lower costs and improve energy efficiency.
Globally, approximately 5.8 billion people use clean energy for cooking, while 2.4 billion rely on dirty energy sources, with 933 million of these individuals residing in Africa.
The use of dirty energy is linked to over 3.7 million deaths annually from respiratory diseases, affecting predominantly women and children.
Dr Biteko expressed gratitude to partners like Oryx Tanzania and Total Energies for their support in promoting clean cooking energy. “This initiative is crucial for saving lives and improving health outcomes in Tanzania,” he said.
In support of this initiative, Minister in the State Vice President's Office (Union and Environment), Dr Ashatu Kijaji, said the benefits of switching from dirty to clean energy.
She highlighted the severe health, environmental, and social impacts of dirty energy, particularly on women and girls who face significant challenges in collecting firewood.
“I urge everyone to commit to ending the use of dirty energy and embracing clean cooking solutions. Our ministry will continue to provide education to support this transition,” Dr Kijaji said.
The Managing Director of Oryx Gas Tanzania Ltd, Mr Benoit Araman, acknowledged the role of food vendors in ensuring daily nourishment and reiterated the company’s commitment to supporting the President’s vision of 80 percent clean energy access by 2034.
“The success of this program depends on your commitment to using clean cooking energy every day,” he added.
