The workshop in Arusha explored the East African/Tanzanian environment for village energy, local case studies, challenges and opportunities, with a view to formulating policy recommendations for policymakers, funders, NGOs and other stakeholders the region. An important part of the workshop, and indeed the whole Smart Villages initiative work programme, was to gather evidence from existing projects that have provided or facilitated sustainable off-grid energy solutions in the developing world.The workshop gathered more than 50 experts, including policymakers, NGOs, off-grid energy entrepreneurs and others to look for solutions to providing energy to villages off the grid.

1. Village Level Energy Access
in East Africa
Ewan Bloomfield, International Energy Consultant

2. East Africa
Background

3. East Africa Population
0
10,000,000
20,000,000
30,000,000
40,000,000
50,000,000
60,000,000
Rwanda Uganda Kenya Tanzania
East Africa Population Size
66% 68% 70% 72% 74% 76% 78% 80% 82% 84% 86%
Tanzania
Kenya
Rwanda
Uganda
East Africa Rural Population (%)

4. East Africa General Energy Access
• Over 81% of the East Africa Community’s (EAC) population lives
without access to modern energy services.
• Less than 30% of households use Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) or
an improved cook stove (ICS).
• Less than 40% of urban, 5% of rural, households have access to
electricity.
• Less than 10% of schools, clinics and hospitals in rural areas have
access to grid electricity or a sufficient decentralised energy system to
meet their needs.
• Investments in grid electrification have been far greater than those for
clean cooking, decentralised electrification and mechanical power.
• Given the potential of various energy resources - biomass, solar, micro-
hydro and fossil fuels - greatest need for EAC region is investment.

5. East Africa Energy
Supply Side

6. East Africa Installed Energy Capacity (MW)
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
Kenya Tanzania Uganda Rwanda
East Africa Installed Energy Capacity (MW)

7. hydropower
59%
geothermal
39%
cogeneration
2%
wind
0%Kenya Energy Mix
Hydro
58%
Thermal
42%
Tanzania Energy Mix
East African Country’s Energy Mix
Hydroelectric
59%
Thermal
41%
Solar
0%
Rwanda Energy Mix
Hydroelectric
65%
Thermal
32%
Biomass
(bagasse)
3%
Uganda Energy Mix

8. East Africa Potential Energy Capacity (MW)
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
Kenya Energy Potential (MW)
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
Hydro Geothermal Biomass Wind Solar Installed
Tanzania Energy Potential (MW)
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
Hydro Geothermal Biomass Solar Installed
Uganda Energy Potential (MW)
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Hydro Geothermal Biogas Installed
Rwanda Energy Potential (MW)

9. East Africa Fossil Fuel Deposits
• All 4 East African nations (Kenya, Uganda,
Tanzania and Rwanda) share common recent
history - significant energy resources discovered
in last 5 years.
• Kenya and Uganda have discovered large oil
deposits.
• Tanzania has significant natural gas deposits.
• Rwanda’s Lake Kivu has huge methane reserves
that can, and are, being converted into electricity.

10. East Africa
Rural Energy Use

11. East Africa Rural Energy Use
0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6%
Tanzania
Kenya
Rwanda
Uganda
East Africa Rural Population Using ICS (%)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Kenya Tanzania Uganda Rwanda
East Africa Rural Population Using Solid Fuels (%)

12. East Africa Electrification Rate Ranking
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
Kenya
Tanzania
Uganda
Rwanda
Ranking of Countries in SSA with Lowest Electrification
Rates
Country Ranking

13. East Africa Energy Background
• Significant homogeneity of energy issues across the region:
o Arising from broad similarities in socio-economic and cultural, and
economic development levels.
• On-going or initiated regional energy sector reforms leading to:
o Formulation and enactment of energy agencies, authorities, acts
and policies.
o Gradual opening up of energy sector to private sector participation.
• Access to biomass fuels becoming increasingly monetised - resources
being commercialised, with livelihood implications for rural and urban
poor.
• Household access to electricity is largely for lighting purposes only.
• Lower income groups tend to spend larger portions of their household
income on fuel purchasing.

14. • Household income and fuel purchase patterns reflect global
patterns - households tend to move up energy ladder as their
disposable incomes rise.
• Limited research on impact of increased electrification but is an
aspirational commodity.
• Most electrical appliances, including light bulbs, radio, mobile
phone charger, music players and TV are important to rural and
urban residents.
• Evidence gap on potential of existing resources - how they can
be used for micro-industrial, institutional and household uses,
and mechanical power for commercial end-use.
East Africa Energy Background

15. Key Challenges of Rural Energy Access
• Limited awareness and exposure to benefits of energy
technologies - particularly rural East Africans.
• Limited technical capacity particularly in remote areas.
• Often high initial investment costs of technologies.
• Lack of appropriate and affordable financial services for energy
investments.
• Lack of ability to calculate life cycle costs of energy options of
most East Africans.
• Limited political will for rural energy options - also based on
limited knowledge.
• Highly informal nature of most rural areas which energy
programs have tackled to a limited extent.

16. • Rural end-user perception towards ICS not well established included
design, promotion, marketing and quality control of technologies.
• Cost saving arguments, especially with firewood stoves, have not
been effective when rural households don’t pay for firewood -
although now starting to change.
• Profitable business case for ICS producers, and other energy
technologies, not been established - reliance on subsidies and grants
for local producers.
• Cost of providing energy access to some areas is very high due to
their remoteness, dispersed populations and difficult terrains.
• Local communities don’t generate sufficient financial resources to
invest in significant energy infrastructure in many remote areas (e.g.
mini-grids).
Key Challenges of Rural Energy Access

17. East Africa
Energy Policies

18. East Africa Energy Policy Focus
• All 4 East African countries have an entity in charge in Rural
Electrification.
• The policy and legal framework – laws, policies and
regulations - for rural energy in region seem robust.
• However, until recently, government-led focus has been on
large infrastructure and grid sector energy including thermal,
hydro and fossil fuels.
• Donor and CSO-led focus has been more on non-thermal,
biomass and decentralised energy for households.
• Now starting to change.

19. Kenya Energy Policy
• Ministry of Energy and Petroleum responsible - recent name change due to recent
discovery of fossil fuels.
• Kenya Energy Act (2006) caters mainly for grid hydro electricity.
• It provides for the following entities:
o Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC)
o Rural Electrification Authority (REA)
o Rural Electrification Programme Fund (REPF)
o Energy Tribunal
• Act only makes distinction between urban and rural for electrification via the Rural
Electrification Authority (REA).
• REA mandate is promotion of renewable energy sources - small hydro, wind, solar,
biomass, geothermal, hybrid systems and oil fired components and electricity for
irrigation and rural income generating.
• Under Kenya’s Vision 2030 “Zero Kero” programme, aim is replacing kerosene with
alternative fuels such as biogas and liquid biofuels (e.g. bioethanol).

20. Tanzania Energy Policy
• Rural Energy Act of Tanzania (2005) oversees operation and
governance of the Rural Energy Board.
• Rural Energy Agency (REA) focuses on energy strategy
implementation, resource mobilisation, technical assistance and
research and development (R&D).
• Rural Energy Fund manages provision of grants, technical and
financial assistance.
• Together 3 entities responsible for promotion of improved access
to modern energy services in rural areas of Tanzania.
• Act acknowledges - sustainable development achieved when
modern rural energy services are promoted, facilitated and
supported through private and community initiatives and
involvement.

21. Tanzania Energy Rural Energy Strategy
• Role of Government in rural energy service provision - facilitator
of activities, with investments made by private and community
entities.
• Government targeting 30% electricity connectivity by 2015 with
250,000 new customer connections per annum from 2013-17.
• Rural Energy Policy, and the Tanzania Energy Development and
Access Expansion Program (TEDAP) guides rural electrification.
• So far REA has focused on grid extension within rural
electrification.
• Aims to promote rural productive uses including job creation,
stimulation of investment and revenue earnings.
• Access to modern energy is key to rural services - particularly
health, education, security and water sectors.

22. Uganda Energy Policy
• In Uganda energy lies with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral
Development (MEMD).
• National Energy Policy proposes to meet the energy needs of its
population for social and economic development in an
environmentally sustainable manner.
• Policy framework provides Government’s vision - increased and
improved modern energy supply for sustainable economic
development as well as improving the quality of life of Ugandan
population.
• Rural energy overseen by Rural Electrification Agency (REA),
although only focuses on electrification (grid extension, mini-
grids and stand-alone electrification systems).

23. Rwanda Energy Policy
• Ministry of infrastructure (MININFRA) oversees energy
provision in Rwanda.
• Under this sits Energy, Water and Sanitation (EWSA).
• National Energy Policy and Strategy valid for 2008 until
2012.
• Not clear if a new document will be developed for current
period.
• Its biomass energy strategy documents (BEST) are well
established and enacted.
• Current programmes on ICS, biogas, solar PV and mini-
grids.

24. East Africa
Rural Energy Access

25. East Africa Rural Household Energy Use
• Energy stacking is a key feature, particularly for
cooking.
• Energy consumption patterns indicate fuel stacking
more prevalent than fuel switching in rural areas.
• Fuel switching is the main response to increasing
incomes in urban areas.
• Recent uptake of solar PV lanterns and home systems
particularly for mobile phone charging.

26. Kenya Energy Use
• Kenya has a fairly well developed infrastructure, transport and
communication networks compared to other East African countries.
• Wood fuel provides the majority of energy needs of the rural
communities, urban poor, and the informal sector.
• Still heavy dependency on wood fuel and charcoal - accounting for
68% of total energy consumption (petroleum 22%, electricity 9%,
others account for 1%).
• Electricity access in Kenya is low despite the government’s ambitious
target to increase electricity connectivity to >65% by 2022.
• 10,429 electrified trading centres versus 2,706 non-electrified ones.
• 13,135 electrified schools and polytechnics versus 8,195 non-
electrified.
• 8,195 health centres versus 4,543 non-electrified ones.

27. Tanzania Energy Use
• Tanzania’s energy supply still dependant on biomass.
• Since ~90% of population are not connected to
electricity grid, majority of households use wood and
charcoal for cooking.
• As a total, biomass makes up close to 90% of the
total primary energy consumption in Tanzania.
• Leads to deforestation of 100,000 hectares per year,
of which a quarter is reforested.
• Below 5% of the rural population use electricity.

28. Uganda Energy Use
• Energy sector is considered key sector in Uganda’s economy.
• Energy consumption met by several energy resources including
solar, biomass and fossil fuels.
• Biomass most important energy source for 97% of population.
• Provides 90% of total primary energy consumption (firewood,
charcoal and agricultural residues).
• Uganda’s biomass dependence is one of Africa’s highest.
• Electricity contributes only 1% to the national energy balance - oil
products (mainly used for vehicles and thermal power plants)
account for the remaining 9%.
• Due to recent increase in poverty, significant shift back to non-
traded biomass fuels for rural households (from 73% in 1980).

29. Rwanda Energy Use
• Small, landlocked Rwanda is most densely populated country in Africa.
• Although GDP has been growing rapidly (currently $1,300 per capita) it still ranks
amongst the poorest countries in world.
• Approximately 85% of overall primary energy consumption based on biomass.
• 99% of all households use biomass for cooking – but virtually all charcoal
produced from planted trees, on private as well as community land so limited
deforestation impact.
• Ambitious government programme to achieve electrification of 16% by 2012 and
60% by 2020 - more than 67% of population live within 5 km of existing electricity
networks.
• Community service electricity connections:
o 21% of schools
o 74% of health centres
o 67% of administrative offices

30. East Africa
Rural Energy
Conclusions and
Recommendations

31. Rural Energy Conclusions
• Generally still very low electrification rates in rural areas.
• Current very high rates of biomass dependency - need
increased effort on efficient and sustainable biomass
technologies.
• Solar PV technologies have great potential and sector
needs further support including larger systems and for
productive use (e.g. agricultural irrigation).
• Mini-grids have been piloted successfully but models need
to be developed to take them to scale.
• Mechanical power and productive use of energy - still very
underserved and needs greater focus and investment.

32. Rural Energy Recommendations
• East Africa energy policies need to increase focus on rural
energy supply - including targets for range of energy
markets - solar PV, ICS, mini-grids and mechanical power
services – capacity building programmes.
• Lessons needs to be learned and shared within the region
on a range of technologies and approaches:
• Solar PV lantern and SHS programmes (Kenya).
• ICS technologies and sustainable biomass supply
(Uganda and Rwanda).
• Mini-grids (Tanzania).
• Innovative distribution, marketing and finance models.