East African Business Week

DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA - The Tanzania Sisal Board has set aside US$ 31.1 million to increase the capacity of its sisal biogas electricity plants to contribute power generation in the country.
This move is meant to increase biogas production from one plant at Hale Estate to 14, with the capacity to produce about 7000KW of electricity where by each plant has expected to consume about 500KW in which the excess electricity from sisal biogas could be sold and channeled to the National Grid.
According to the Tanzania Sisal Board, the 14 estates that have been marked for biogas electricity installation include Gomba estate under Gomba Agricultural Industries Ltd, Rudewa estate under China State Farms Ltd, Mkumbara estate  under  D.D.Ruhinda & Company Limited, Magunga estate under Katani Ltd, Fatemi estate under Mohammed Enterprises Ltd, Kigombe estate under Amboni Plantations Ltd, Kwaraguru estate under Sagera Estates Ltd.
Other earmarked estates include Toronto estate under Unicord Tanzania Ltd,  Mazinde estate under Mohammed Enterprises Ltd, Lugongo estate under Dominion Plantations Ltd, Mwelya estate under Katani Ltd, Ubena estate under Highland Estates Ltd, Mwera estate under  Amboni Plantations Ltd and Magoma estate - Katani Ltd.
Deogratias Ruhinda the Research Officer of Tanzania Sisal Board told the East African Business Week that the study has been confirmed that sisal can be utilized to produce biogas which can be used to produce electricity.
He said that Hale estate was installed as the part of pilot study in Tanzania where by the study was succeed to generate about 300KW of sisal biogas electricity and also  they expect to modify utilization and increase to generate  up to 1MW of sisal biogas for the contribution of electricity in Tanzania.
"Tanzania Sisal Board is expecting to contribute a lot on power generation in Tanzania on a way to 2020 after accomplish its mission to reduce the energy cost in the country". Ruhinda said     
Mr. Hamis Mapinda, the Tanzania Sisal Board (TSB) acting Director General told this paper that sisal plants are useful materials for production of reliable electricity in the country and if are well utilized they can remove Tanzania from the ongoing power-blues.
"In a way to stabilize the 14 sisal estates for electricity generation, we are planning to increase the utilization of the sisal plant from the current level of two percent to at least 50%.