Biomass Energy In Tanzania Essay, Research Paper

Biomass Energy in Tanzania

The United Republic of Tanzania is located in Southeast Africa. The country includes the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba. Tanzania is a beautiful country with lovely beaches, mountains, national parks, and people. This is also the country where you can find Tanzanite, a dazzling blue stone that is astonishing everyone in the world one at a time.

Arabs from Oman, who settled in Zanzibar in the 7th century A.D, first founded Tanzania. In the beginning of the 19th century, British and German explorers visited the mainland of Tanzania. The British then took over the country. After World War 1 was over, British rule came to and, but they were not given back their independence. After World War 2, they finally were granted independence and complete freedom from Britain. In 1954, Julius K. Nyerere made the Tanganyika National Union, which became the dominate political party. 1964, Neyerere proposed that Tanganyika and Zanzibar should merge into a single republic within the British Commonwealth. In 1964, the union changed their name to Tanzania, which we now know it as today. But within this, what it seems like, perfect country, there is an extreme issue that is causing problems with energy consumption, Biomass.

Biomass is a renewable resource that can be cultivated by man, or grow wild. It is natures store house of solar energy and chemical resources. Ninety-two percent of energy used up in Tanzania comes from Biomass. Because of the lack of market mechanisms in the rural areas, and the result of imbalances in supply and demand, people are forced to use up all Biomass resources. This problem is especially growing in some urban areas, and if demand is met from natural forests in the peri-urban areas, a serious local deforestation may result. Also at the same time, open brush fires and wood clearing for non-energy needs are by far responsible for deforestation in the country. Forests are cleared for reasons which people think are good, but when they do this, it is really hurting them. When they ruin the forests for reasons such as agriculture, shelter, firewood, and many other reasons, people are forced to use other Biomass resources such as animal waste in rural households because the increasing depletion of wood. This can not go on forever and someone must find a solution to this.

To enhance the Biomass resource, there is a need for a holistic supply management approach which recognizes the competing uses of land , which was said by a household energy speaker. Tanzania is presently trying to ensure enough supply and efficient use of energy throughout the country. This is known as The Energy Policy of Tanzania . The policies goal is to reconcile the need to ensure continuity and security of energy supply on one hand and the need to reduce the burden on the economy of energy imports on the other. This will include an approach that recognizes the competing uses of land. The main strategy would be to enhance the management of the existing resource base, and combine the growing of multi-purpose trees with other agricultural activities. This should show that fuelwood is just one of the many products that come out of the agricultural system. The policy also calls for the development of more appropriate land management practices and betters woodfuel technologies. Other goals are to get rid of hydroelectric sources, develop and use natural gas resources, and step up petroleum exploration activities.

The people of Tanzania are going to be doing everything possible to improve the use of energy. If the situation there does not change, bad things are going to happen. Homes in Tanzania take in more energy then some businesses. If this does not change, pretty soon there will barely be enough energy for lights to work. After energy is consumed properly, life will be a lot easier for people to in Tanzania to live.