Rwandahas embarked on strategies aimed to reduce its dependence on biomass as asource of energy by half by 2024 to ease environmental degradation, minister ofinfrastructure Claver Gatete said in Kigali on Monday.
Dependenceon biomass Rwanda now stands at about 83 percent, meaning the source of energyin the country is mainly traditional biomass, consisting of fuel wood, charcoaland agricultural waste, Gatete told the opening of the second edition of theRenewable Energy for Sustainable Growth Forum in the Rwandan capital.
Thisleaves serious negative impact on forests and people's health, which makes thegovernment determined to cut the use of firewood for cooking by institutionssuch as hotels, schools, hospitals, prisons, police and army, he said.
Thestrategies undertaken by the government to reduce the dependence on biomassinclude encouraging the use of institutional biogas and liquefied petroleumgas, Gatete said.
Otherstrategies include ensuring affordable prices for institutional biogas and liquefiedpetroleum gas, which could ensure all urban and peri-urban dwellers to use gas.
Theminister reaffirmed his government's commitment to achieving universal accessto sustainable energy by 2024 with focus on renewable energy resources.
Theshare of renewable energy use globally is expected to grow by one-fifth in thenext five years to reach 12.4 percent, providing almost 30 percent of powerdemand, up from 24 percent in 2017, according to the minister.
Theenergy forum, which drew energy investors and policymakers, is part of theRwanda Energy Week, which runs from Nov. 5 to Nov. 9.
Editor:Cherie
