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Projects Launch
In the Media
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AFP: UNEP aims to generate power in African sugar and tea farmlands
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All Africa: UN Environment Agency Announces New Projects to Boost
Clean Energy
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KBC: Project expected to add 120megawatts to the national grid
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Prensa Latina: UNEP: New Projects to Generate Energy
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DPA: Clean energy projects set for African tea and sugar industries
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East African Standard: Kenya: Sh6.7 Billion Electricity Projects
Launched
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Business iafrica: Moz to benefit from energy project
AFP: UNEP aims to generate
power in African sugar and tea farmlands
(Also appears in Africa Asia)
09/11/2007 00:01 NAIROBI, Nov 8 (AFP)
The UN Environment Programme on Thursday launched two
projects to generate small-scale electric power from wastes
in the tea and sugar plantations in eastern and southern
Africa.
The 100-million-dollar projects, funded by the Global
Environmental Facility (GEF), are expected to benefit 18
million farmers in some 11 countries.
The tea and sugar projects aim to generate 10 and 82
megawatts respectively in their initial phases with
ambitions to increase production, the Nairobi-based UNEP
said in a statement.
"These two new UNEP-led projects showcase the multiple
benefits sustainable development can have for rural areas,
offering social, economic and environmental benefits that
help locally and globally," GEF chief Monique Barbut said in
the statement.
Some 40 percent of electricity needs in the Indian Ocean
island of Mauritius are met by waste by-products from the
sugar industry.
"By relying on low-cost, renewable indigenous fuels such as
sugar byproducts and offcuts from the timber industry, these
cogeneration units will cut greenhouse gas emissions and
reduce energy costs for the region's agro-processing and
forest industries," the statement said.
All
Africa: UN Environment Agency Announces New Projects to Boost Clean
Energy
UN News Service (New York) -
8 November 2007 -Posted to the web 8 November 2007
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) today announced the
launch of a pair of projects worth some $100 million in the tea and
sugar industries designed to boost the use of clean energy and
stimulate development in Africa.
Both projects aim to develop new forms of local energy generation to
help rural areas overcome poverty, cut dependency on imported and
expensive fossil fuels, and contribute to reducing greenhouse gas
emissions, UNEP said in a news release.
The tea initiative, which will deliver small-scale hydro-electric
power to plantations across East Africa, is expected to reach over 8
million people in the tea industry. Burundi, Kenya, Malawi,
Mozambique, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia are among the
countries which have already endorsed the initiative.
"Tea is known to be good for you; now it is also getting better for
the environment," said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.
He also hailed the decision by some countries in East Africa to
establish power purchase agreements, which are contracts that allow
unconventional generators of electricity to sell surplus power back
to the grid, saying it "has opened up a raft of new opportunities
for cleaner and renewable energy generation."
In a separate but related initiative, a project funded by the Global
Environment Facility (GEF) will help farmers use waste from the
sugar industry to generate electricity - a move UNEP said will fuel
sustainable economic growth.
The project aims to reach approximately 10 million sugar farmers and
their dependants in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Swaziland,
Uganda and Tanzania.
The sugar initiative builds on the successes achieved in Mauritius,
where up to 40 per cent of the country's electricity needs are met
by waste by-products from the sugar industry, UNEP said.
KBC: Project expected to
add 120megawatts to the national grid
Written By: VPPS , Posted: Thu, Nov 08, 2007
An ambitious project through which tea and sugar companies will use
local materials to generate alternative sources of energy was
inaugurated on Thursday.
The project, which is a joint effort between the government,
European Union, UNEP and other development partners, was launched at
UNEP's headquarters, Gigiri by Vice President Moody Awori who
represented President Mwai Kibaki.
It involves the utilization of by-products of sugar as well as
micro-hydroelectricity generation projects and targets to transform
the lives of millions of Kenyans.
Once operational, the project is expected to add 120megawatts to the
national grid besides supplying the factories with adequate
operation power.
The President, in a speech read on his behalf by Awori, welcomed the
project noting that with the rising cost of oil in the world market,
there was need to develop alternative sources of energy.
He cited geothermal, solar, wind and sugar bagane-based
co-generation, which he noted, is easily achievable in the
continent.
President Kibaki said the high cost of oil has raised the production
costs of agriculture thus adversely lowering the farmer incomes and
reducing the global competitiveness of market for the products.
He added that the projects will go a long way in addressing the
energy needs in both industries, while diversifying power supply in
the region and reducing the green house gas emissions.
The President noted that tea and sugar companies have continued to
contribute to the economy of the country and other Eastern and
Southern African countries over the last 30 years.
" In Kenya and Burundi for instance, tea accounts for about 20% of
total national exports while sugar contributes significant
proportions of the export earning for countries such as Swaziland
and Mauritius", the President observed, adding that the tea industry
impacted on the lives of about 3million people and provided
employment to 800,000 people in Kenya.
The President said that in Africa, since less that 10% of rural
populations had access to electricity, the installation of the small
hydropower and cogeneration facilities would address the need.
President Kibaki expressed optimism at the success of the project
noting that already six factories in Kenya had indicated willingness
to adopt the new technology.
He called on financial institutions and governments in the region to
support initiatives towards renewable energy projects.
The President particularly urged the governments to develop the
necessary policy and regulatory frameworks toll facilitate
investments in renewable energy developments.
The Head of European Union (EU) Delegation to Kenya Mr. Eric Van
Linden assured that EU will continue her partnership with African
governments.
He disclosed that EU would fund 75 such projects in Africa six of
them in Kenya as one way of poverty alleviation initiative in
Africa.
Among those present were Minister of Natural Resources and Energy of
Swaziland, Ms Dumsile Sukati, Minister of State for Energy of
Uganda, Mr. Simon D'ujanga, Assistant Minister for Agriculture,
Patrick Muiruri and Diplomats.
Prensa Latina: UNEP: New
Projects to Generate Energy
United Nations, Nov 8 (Prensa Latina)
The UN Environment Program
announced new projects Thursday for the industries of tea and sugar,
designed to use clean energy and boost development in Africa.
Both initiatives, valued at 100 million dollars, are aimed at
developing new forms of generation of local energy.
According to UNEP sources, this would bring rural regions out of
poverty, eliminating the dependency on expensive and imported oil,
and would contribute to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The project for the tea industry, which would offer energy through
small hydroelectric to plantations of eastern Africa, could benefit
eight million people in Burundi, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda,
Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia.
UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner expressed that tea, commonly
accepted as good for people's health, now will also improve the
environment.
Another initiative will help to use the wastes of the sugar industry
to generate electricity, which UNEP experts consider will cause a
sustainable economic growth.
That project will benefit 10 million sugar farmers and their
families in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda and
Tanzania.
DPA: Clean energy
projects set for African tea and sugar industries
(Also appears in Monster and Critics)
Nov 8, 2007, 14:46 GMT -
Nairobi -
The United Nations announced two projects Thursday meant
to make tea and sugar industries in Africa environmentally friendly
by introducing small-scale energy appliances that would allow
farmers in seven African countries to access clean power.
Using hydropower plants in tea plantations and turning the waste
produced by sugar cane into power, the UN's Environment Programme (UNEP)
said the new projects will help reduce greenhouse gasses while
spreading clean energy to rural areas in East and Southern Africa.
'Tea is known to be good for you, now it is also getting better for
the environment,' UNEP's executive director Achim Steiner said in a
statement.
Based on the success of the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius, which
meets close to 40 per cent of its electricity needs through what is
called cogeneration, UNEP said sugar cane plantations in countries
from Kenya to Malawi have the potential to reuse their waste.
'Seven million Kenyans are directly or indirectly impacted by the
sugar sector. If we provide electricity and it's a more reliable
supply we can transform nearly a third of this country's
population,' said Stephen Karekezi, the head of AFREPREN, a local
energy research group supporting the projects.
Some 8 million tea farmers could benefit from the greening
initiative, which would see the African Development Bank provide
loans to small-scale farmers to purchase hydropower plants or in the
case of sugarcane, the hardware to turn the waste into energy.
UNEP said the payback time for the loans would be up to seven years,
during which farmers could sell the surplus energy they produce to
the surrounding community, at a cheaper price and more stable
service than grid power.
The idea is being piloted in Kenya and Uganda and supporters say
they hope curious farmers will be inspired to acquire their own
clean energy plant.
Most Africans make a living off small-scale farming yet live in
rural areas usually not connected to the grid or else constantly
facing power shortages.
Africa is the least responsible for the effects of climate change
but is least prepared to deal with what could be its devastating
consequences.
The new projects, set to cost 100 million dollars, come ahead of the
UN's meeting on climate change in Bali, Indonesia, in December,
where environment ministers from around the world are set to begin
negotiations on a post-Kyoto emissions reduction plan.
East African Standard: Kenya: Sh6.7 Billion Electricity Projects
Launched
9 November 2007 - Wandera Ojanji - Nairobi
The United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) has launched two
projects to help the tea and sugar industries generate electricity.
The Small Hydro for Greening Tea Industry in East Africa project
will see the tea sector produce 10mw from small-scale hydro
projects. This would later increase to 82mw.
And through the co-generation for Africa project, sugar factories
are expected to initially generate 60mw. Production would then be
upgraded to generate 200mw.
Welcoming the Sh6.7 billion initiative on Thursday, President Kibaki
acknowledged the high cost of energy in the sugar and tea
production.
"Small hydro-electricity generation will reduce the tea industries'
energy cost, enhance global competitiveness and increased revenues,"
he said.
In a speech read on his behalf by Vice-President, Mr Moody Awori,
the President noted that the local sugar industry had the potential
to generate up to 190mw of electricity from baggasse.
"The rising cost of oil in the world market is a threat, not only to
tea and sugar business, but also to the economies of the region.
Apart from raising production costs, this increase translates into
lower income for farmers," said Kibaki.
Six sugar factories have indicated willingness to venture into
co-generation for their own use and export to national grid.
Global Environmental Facility is financing the projects through the
African Development Bank and other partners, including East African
Tea Trade Association and Energy, Environment and Development
Network for Africa.
The projects are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emission, which
has been blamed for global warming.
"They will also enhance the competitiveness of the region's farm and
forestry products, boost investment and set the stage for rural
electrification," said Unep.
Business iafrica: Moz to benefit from energy project
Fri, 09 Nov 2007
Mozambique is among
southern and eastern African countries which will benefit from a new
$100-million energy project.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said in a press
release issued on Thursday that the projects would use tea and sugar
residues to generate energy.
The project was part of the UN's programme to boost the use of clean
energy and stimulate development in Africa.
UNEP said: "Both projects aim to develop new forms of local energy
generation to help rural areas overcome poverty, cut dependency on
imported and expensive fossil fuels, and contribute to reducing
greenhouse gas emissions."
The tea initiative, which will deliver small-scale hydro-electric
power to plantations across East Africa, was expected to reach over
eight million people in the tea industry.
'Tea is getting better for environment'
Burundi, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and
Zambia were among the countries which had already endorsed the
initiative.
"Tea is known to be good for you; now it is also getting better for
the environment,” said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.
He said the project had opened up a raft of new opportunities for
cleaner and renewable energy generation.
The sugar project, funded by the Global Environment Facility, under
which waste from sugar would be used to generate electricity would
help farmers use waste from the sugar industry to generate
electricity.
More than 10 million sugar farmers and their dependants in Ethiopia,
Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda and Tanzania were expected
to benefit from the project.
According to the UNEP a successful sugar project was implemented in
Mauritius, where up to 40 percent of the country's electricity needs
were met by waste by-products from the sugar industry.
Sapa |
AFREPREN/FWD
© 2007