Kenya seeks to end use of biomass fuel

NAIROBI, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's energy regulator said Thursday it has embarked on initiatives aimed at reducing biomass fuel use in the country.

Edward Kinyua, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) Acting Director for Petroleum, said plans are underway to introduce purchase of Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) through mobile phones and also the introduction of 500 grams gas cylinder for use by the low income earners.

"We intend to contribute to the citizen's well-being by ensuring that they use clean energy while cooking as opposed to firewood and kerosene that contributes to deaths of many women and children," Kinyua said in Nairobi.

He said that the purchase of the LPG will be effected soon once the smart meters are installed by a team of consultants that include scientists from Colorado University who are currently running trials in the informal settlements in Nairobi.

Kinyua said that the technology will enable people to purchase LPG through prepaid token depending on the amount of money one has from their mobile phones at anytime as is the case with mobile shopping.

"This will help increase penetration of gas cylinders and also access to clean energy to consumers and contribute to the reduction of indoor pollution that is blamed for deaths of many people in the country," he added.

Kinyua also announced that additional gas cylinder weighing 500 grams will be introduced to cater for people in the informal settlements and far flung villages to reduce cutting of trees for fuel once approved by the Kenya Bureau of Statistics (KBS).

In Kenya, LPG is sold in one, three, six and 13 kilograms unit, at a price that is far above low income earners who mainly depend on fuel wood and charcoal for cooking and heating their houses.

Air pollution is a major contributor to respiratory diseases in Kenya and it kills 14,300 Kenyans annually while the number of people with respiratory diseases increased by 63 percent over a four-year period from 12.2 million in 2012 to 19.9 million in 2016.

Kinyua said that a number of people fall victims because they use traditional fuels and kerosene for cooking and heating.

Air pollution from indoor and outdoor sources remains a major environmental and health issue, and a policy challenge especially in Kenya that is rapidly urbanizing. Enditem