UNIDO, TIB to enhance Tanzania’s bioenergy sector with $899,000 grant

 Daily News reporter

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Tanzania Development Bank (TIB) are set to award a significant grant of

$899,000 to support entrepreneurial initiatives in country’s bioenergy sub-sector.

At a well-attended event featuring a dummy cheque presentation in Tanzania’s business hub, Dar es Salaam, the organisers launched a stakeholder capacity-building workshop which focused on ‘Bioenergy and Bioethanol.’

The workshop attracted around 70 participants encompassing government officials, private sector leaders, development partners, and prospective beneficiaries.

It marks the commencement of a comprehensive program aimed at fostering a sustainable bioenergy market in Tanzania.

A statement issued UNIDO’s Representative office in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday stated that: “This initiative aligns with the country’s ladened Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and is supported by a consortium of partners, including the Ministry of Energy, the Vice President’s Office-Division of Environment, the EU GEF UNCDF, and others.”

According to the UNIDO, the grants will facilitate the development of bioenergy projects, particularly those converting agro-waste to energy and promoting bioethanol as an alternative cooking fuel, TIB Development Bank, in collaboration with the Rural Energy Agency (REA) and UNIDO, has reviewed several applications for the Bioenergy Incentive Fund (BIF), resulting in the selection of various enterprises for the grant.

Recipients, including Bagamoyo Sugar Limited Consumer’s Choice Limited, Multiplex System, TPC, Zanzibar Sugar Limited, Bagamoyo Sugar Limited, Manyara Sugar Limited, IV Biotech Limited, Sundy Merchants, Hanny G. Investment for the amounts allocated to them through TIB Development Bank will receive their awards during the upcoming workshop.

The event highlighted the opportunities presented by the BIF and detail the project’s roll-out of bioethanol cookstoves and fuel.

Discussions covered a wide range of issues including application process, eligibility, and evaluation criteria for prospective projects.

This grant and workshop endeavor to empower Tanzanian entrepreneurs, create awareness them of the BIF, and bolster the bioenergy industry, ensuring a sustainable and economically beneficial energy future for the nation.

Speaking after dummy check presentation to the seven eligible local companies, TIB’s director of Planning and Development, Mr Joseph Chilambo said the reason to support such project is to reduce carbon emissions to protect the environment.

On his part, UNIDO’s coordinator of clean energy and environment said the collaboration between the UN’s agency, TIB, European Union and the government through the Ministry of Energy is geared to support the initiatives which aim at protecting environment.