The Efficiency Of Different Energy Sources Used By Households In Urban Zanzibar: Best Choices For Environmental Conservation

ABSTRACT

The efficiency of energy sources used by households was experimentally

determined in this study. To achieve the study objectives, comparison was done

between different energy sources such as LPG, electricity, charcoal and firewood.

The comparison was determined by observing efficiency of energy sources and the

subsequent cost. The tools like experimentation, questionnaire, interviews, and

documentary data were used. Four types of energy sources were employed to cook

250g of beans. These energy sources include LPG, electricity, charcoal and

firewood. The reported Mean (and Standard Error) of time used in minutes were

121.2 ± 0.12, 135 ± 0.12, 137.4 ± 10.2, 182.4 ± 0.42 for LPG, electricity, charcoal

and firewood, respectively. Statistically the results revealed that there was a

significant difference in time used to cook 250g of beans among the energy sources

(F = 232.26, df = 3, P < 0.001). Furthermore, the results showed that there was a

difference in cost associated with cooking of 250g of beans whereby the cost is

Tanzania shillings, 1711/= (55%) for LPG, 643.47/= (21%) for electricity, 387.10/=

(13%) for charcoal and 347/= (11%) for firewood. In this case the study showed that

firewood had less cost compared to LPG, electricity and charcoal. Most of the

households in urban Zanzibar rely on biomass fuel (firewood and charcoal) for

cooking and heating due to their affordable cost and availability. The subsidy in

LPG and electricity as sources of energy that is friendly with the environmental

conservation need to be considered. This will reduce the heavy use of charcoal and

firewood which affect forests negatively.