Government, partners launch 2025 energy innovation challenge

DODOMA: THE Ministry of Energy, in collaboration with the European Union, the Embassy of Ireland and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has launched the second cohort of the Energy Efficiency Innovation Challenge 2025.

The competition invites Tanzanian innovators, researchers and entrepreneurs to submit practical solutions in energy efficiency. The top ten selected ideas will receive seed funding of up to 25m/- each.

Applications opened on Tuesday and will remain open until August 8 this year through an online portal. This year’s challenge will prioritise three key areas: improving energy use in buildings, developing efficient electronic appliances and promoting behavioural change to encourage energy-saving habits within communities.

Speaking at the launch event held at the Tanzania Industrial Research and Development Organisation (TIRDO), Mr Emilian Nyanda, Head of the Environment Unit at the Ministry of Energy, highlighted the importance of the initiative in advancing national energy goals.

“Our aim is to empower local innovators to deliver practical solutions that reduce unnecessary energy consumption, cut costs, and support the shift to a low-carbon economy,” he said.

The initiative is part of the broader Energy Efficiency Action Plan (EEAP), which has been implemented since 2022 with funding from the European Union and technical leadership from UNDP. It also receives support from the Embassy of Ireland, with a total budget of 9 million Euros, 8 million from the EU, 1 million from UNDP, and an additional 600,000 Euro from Ireland.

According to Mr Massimiliano Pedretti, Energy Portfolio Manager at the EU Delegation to Tanzania, the project has already shown tangible results.

“Since its launch, we have seen tangible progress from the establishment of national energy efficiency standards to the creation of cutting-edge testing labs and capacity building across institutions. Most importantly, people have been empowered,” he said.

Mr Pedretti acknowledged the role of Engineer Ramson Mwilangali, Director of the Engineering Department at TIRDO, for mentoring emerging energy professionals and successfully implementing national energy strategies.

“We see this as seed funding to unlock greater opportunities. We are not just promoting technology; we are empowering people, especially young innovators and women,” Mr Pedretti added.

UNDP Resident Representative Shigeki Komatsubara reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to sustainable development through energy efficiency.

“Supporting energy efficiency is about more than saving energy, it’s about strengthening resilience, competitiveness and unlocking long-term opportunity,” he said. “We are proud to build on last year’s success and support a new generation of innovators.”

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In the first edition of the Innovation Challenge held last year, ten local innovators received a total of 250m/- in support. Among them were Horace Pierce, co-founder of HOP Tech, and Neema Walter Moshi, founder of Nishat Mix Technologies.

Pierce developed smart clean energy devices, while Moshi’s company created clean cooking fuel from plastic waste and designed a high efficiency stove.

“The bootcamp experience was transformative. It helped us understand how to scale, formalise our business, and pitch effectively,” said Pierce.

Ms Moshi echoed the value of the mentorship and technical support received. “Beyond the funding, what made the biggest difference was the expert guidance and the network we joined. It gave me the confidence to align our solution with national energy policies and take our products to market,” she said.

It also provides access to technical incubation facilities at TIRDO, where winning teams can prototype and test their solutions. Final innovations will be evaluated based on potential energy savings, scalability and capacity to generate employment and economic growth.