Renewable energy in Tanzania: Advancements in solar PV applications - review

This study article thoroughly investigates the achievements, uses, problems, and future possibilities of solar photovoltaic (PV) technology in Tanzania. Despite plentiful solar resources (averaging 5-6 kWh/m²/day), Tanzania's electrification remains low, with just around 33% national and 17% rural access. While hydropower and natural gas dominate the grid, solar PV is developing as a major alternative for off-grid electricity. Currently, solar home systems (SHS) and mini-grids power around 25% of powered homes. The report reviews current research on global solar PV advances, such as high-efficiency crystalline silicon cells (e.g., PERC, TOPCon >25%), perovskite tandems (>29%), and cost reductions (LCOE: $0.044/kWh in 2023), and assesses their applicability to Tanzania. Local pay-as-you-go (PAYG) SHS models reduce family energy expenses by 46% and emissions by 20-200 kg CO₂/year. Hybrid mini-grids (e.g., PV-battery-diesel) indicate economic feasibility in case studies like Juma Island. However, adoption confronts considerable challenges, including fragmented energy policy, underfunding of off-grid alternatives, high upfront costs, inadequate technical maintenance capability, and socio-cultural hesitation. The review identifies hybrid systems, solar irrigation, and AI-driven management as key future opportunities, but emphasizes that overcoming institutional inertia, improving local financing (e.g., local-currency loans), and strengthening community ownership models are critical for scaling solar PV to meet Tanzania's 75% electrification target by 2030.