Solar energy comes to Tanzania

October 3, 2013 0 By Erin Kilgore

New solar energy system taking form in Tanzania

A new solar energy system is beginning to take form in Tanzania, located on the eastern shore of Africa. The system is meant to combine the potential of geothermal and solar energy, providing significant amounts of power to communities in rural areas, much of which currently goes without access to electrical power of any kind. According to the World Bank, approximately 3% of people in rural Tanzania have access to electricity, with 95% relying on firewood to provide heat.

World Bank invests $50 million in solar energy project

The World Bank has teamed with the African Development Bank in order to provide funding for the project, which is estimated to cost approximately $50 million. Once construction of the project is completed, it is expected to produce enough energy to power 70,000 average homes. This energy could be a major boon for people in rural communities, offering them safer ways to heat their homes and improving their quality of life. The electricity could also enable the establishment of better health care systems, giving people access to medical care that is impossible to receive without reliable access to electricity.

Tanzania - Solar EnergyProject could boost economy of rural communities

Tanzania is considered one of the most impoverished countries in the world, which is why the country has shown a strong interest in solar energy. Clean power could be an economic boon for the country, which has to rely on foreign sources of fuel for a significant amount of its power. The new solar energy system will not only reduce the need for foreign fuel, of course, as it will also create new jobs, helping boost the economy of the rural region in which it is taking form.

Solar energy gains more traction in Africa

Solar energy has been gaining strong momentum in Africa in recent years. Sunlight is abundant throughout Africa, making many countries promising markets when it comes to solar energy. Energy developers are currently competing for land in the northern parts of the country, hoping to build one of the world’s largest solar energy systems.

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