The European Union has set aside Euro 95 million for a new rural electrification program using hydro, wind, solar and biomass. Tanzania is among nine African nations set to benefit from the projects.
The projects will address energy challenges in rural areas and are part of the EU’s last Energy Facility Call for Proposals, which focused specifically on improving access to modern, affordable and sustainable energy services for rural poor, by promoting renewable energy solutions as well as on energy efficiency measures building on proven successful actions.
According to EU, the countries which will benefit from this initiative are Tanzania, Madagascar, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Cameroon, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Eritrea, and Rwanda.
“These innovative projects are a real step forward in terms of bringing energy to some of the most remote and poor areas in Africa. The benefits of rural electrification are manifold - by connecting people to clean energy, we’ll improve healthcare, education, and opportunities to make a living in the area,” he said.
In Tanzania, the projects chosen include a hydroelectric project in the Ludewa District, which will provide energy to 20 isolated villages; benefitting 4,000 households, 43 primary and secondary schools (about 16,000 students); one hospital and 19 dispensaries, over 500 small businesses and farmers from across the region and an eco-electrification project in Burkina Faso, which will reach 100,000 people, as well as health centers and schools.
The EU aims to allocate more than 3 billion euro worth of grants in the 2014-2020 financial period to support sustainable energy projects in about 30 countries that see energy as a focal sector for development.
No comments:
Post a Comment