A local bio technology firm Pioneer Bio Digesters Malawi says the country can cut demand for firewood and charcoal by 40 percent if it ventures into clean energy and normalise the use of biogas.
Speaking in an interview on Friday, the firm’s managing director Chisomo Sefasi said the damage traditional energy sources of energy have caused to the country’s natural resources have brought negative impact of climate change.
“Everyone is feeling the impact of climate change in the country and all this is attributed to our ordinary sources of energy such as firewood and charcoal, which have damaged our forests, soils and also posed health threats to individuals through smoke which increases risks of cancer,” he said.
Sefasi said there is need to venture into safe energy solutions that will not harm the environment.
“Biogas is a fuel and can do more than just cooking because it can run generators and fridges among other things and it can be used at domestic level as well as industrial level and poultry farmers can also benefit from biogases,” he said.
Sefasi warned Malawians that there is no planet B, as such, there is need to encourage people to venture into cleaner and safer energy sources.
On his part, Intewaste managing director Bob Chisamba, whose firm sells gas, urges government to conduct civic education campaigns in communities to change people’s mindset and diversify energy sources.
“There is a need for awareness so that people should consider other alternatives such as biogas, briquettes and electricity as formal sources of cooking energy over charcoal,” he said.
Pioneer Bio Digesters touts itself as a firm providing long-term environmentally friendly services such as biogas and modern bio digester sceptic tank installations to combat climate change impacts and diversify sources of energy.
The Ministry of Energy has been advocating for a shift towards the use of affordable alternative energy sources for cooking instead of relying on charcoal.
In the current budget that ends on March 31, the Malawi Government is supporting the use of alternative sources of energy and removed import duty and excise tax on solar lamps and solar fridges.
Source: The National News_Wednesday 18 January 2023_By Priscilla Phiri