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Publication - Unlocking the Potential of Bioethanol in Development Setting Contexts: From Theory to Practice and Policy Implications
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Tanzania continue to rely on traditional biomass fuels such as charcoal and wood, contributing to environmental degradation, indoor air pollution, and energy poverty (WHO, 2022). Bioethanol presents a viable alternative, offering health, economic, and environmental benefits; however, its large-scale adoption remains constrained by affordability, supply chain inefficiencies, policy barriers, and cultural resistance.
In response, the UNIDO Bioethanol and Clean Cooking Programme was launched in partnership with the Tanzanian government, private stakeholders, and international funders (Global Environmental Faciality and European Union). The vision behind the program was to distribute 500,000 ethanol cookstoves, covering 40% of Dar es Salaam’s households, to demonstrate a scalable clean cooking solution that could spur commercial investment. At the time of its inception (2017), Tanzania faced severe electricity shortages and had no other viable renewable fuel alternatives, making bioethanol a strategic clean energy transition pathway. However, due to funding constraints, increased per-unit subsidy costs, and the impact of COVID-19, the funded target was revised to 160,000 households (UNIDO, 2023a). While progress has been made in local stove assembly, ethanol production, and private-sector engagement, persistent challenges underscore the chicken-and-egg dilemma in scaling bioethanol: stoves without fuel lead to low demand, while fuel without a critical mass of stoves results in market failure.
This study applies a mixed-methods approach to assess the scalability of bioethanol adoption, integrating qualitative focus group discussions and an expert poll leveraging a modified Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). By systematically ranking and evaluating key influencing factors, the study provides an evidence-based assessment of Tanzania’s clean cooking transition.
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