Promotion of Altenative Energy
Biomass Technologies
Clean and efficient cook stoves are being promoted to reduce charcoal and firewood consumption. The Government has also developed a National Charcoal Strategy covering the period 2017 to 2027 aimed at providing guidance on sustainable use of charcoal while promoting alternative energy sources of cooking and heating to charcoal. A National Cook stove Steering Committee was set to see to it that the country target of 2 million households have access to clean cook stoves by 2020. The new target on the the clean and efficient cook stoves is 5 million by 2030.
Biogas
The Department of Energy Affairs implemented activities under the UNDP funded Sustainable Energy Management Project which phase out in December, 2016. Among the activities, the Department piloted Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Technologies in 14 districts where household polythene tube biogas digesters and school lighting systems were installed. The Department of Environmental Affairs under Climate Change Proofing project had installed biogas plants that are being used for cooking in Mangochi and Dedza prisons.
Cooking & Heating Energy
On cooking and heating energy, the Government through the Ministry is promoting use of alternatives to charcoal and firewood which includes use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), biogas and biomass briquettes. The Government has since removed some of the taxes on some of the cooking fuels and technologies such as LPG and efficient wood cook stoves respectively in a bid to promote the reduction of charcoal and firewood consumption. Clean and efficient cookstoves are being promoted to reduce charcoal and firewood consumption. The Government has also developed a National Charcoal Strategy covering the period 2017 to 2027 aimed at providing guidance on sustainable use of charcoal while promoting alternative energy sources of cooking and heating to charcoal. A National Cookstove Steering Committee was set to see to it that the country target of 2 million households have access to clean cookstoves by 2020. The new target on the the clean and efficient cook stoves is 5 million by 2030.
Briquettes
The Department is promoting Biomass Briquette Technology through training in stove and briquette production.