Tanzania is assessing green hydrogen as a possible additional clean cooking fuel as the government works to expand access to cleaner energy and reduce dependence on polluting cooking methods, The Respondent reported.
A pilot project in Kilwa District, Lindi Region, is testing the use of green hydrogen for cooking. The initiative, being implemented by Bora Women Go Green, uses water as the feedstock for producing hydrogen.
According to the organisation’s director, Dr Bora Haule, the project is expected to enter formal production by the end of October 2026.
The initiative comes as Tanzania implements its National Clean Cooking Strategy 2024–2034, which aims to raise the proportion of the population using clean cooking energy to 80 percent by 2034.
Energy Ministry Director of Clean Cooking Energy Nolasco Mlay recently visited the Kilwa project to review its progress and assess the potential application of green hydrogen in cooking.
Mlay said the government was willing to consider and test different technologies that could support the transition to clean cooking. However, he stressed that any technology must be evaluated for safety, efficiency, affordability and its environmental impact.
“The government recognises the importance of technology and innovation in increasing the use of clean cooking energy,” Mlay said.
Pilot to assess viability
The Kilwa initiative is intended to establish whether green hydrogen can be used safely as a cooking fuel and whether the technology could eventually become an affordable option for local communities.
Dr Haule said preparations for the project were in their final stages. The initiative will also provide communities with an opportunity to understand how green hydrogen technology can be applied to cooking.
Beyond its potential use as a household fuel, the project could help assess the wider economic opportunities associated with emerging clean-energy technologies.
However, expanding the technology beyond the pilot stage will depend on several factors, including production costs, safety requirements, infrastructure and whether households can access the technology at an affordable price.
For Tanzania, a key challenge is to move from individual pilot initiatives towards clean cooking solutions capable of reaching a much larger share of households.
Green hydrogen could therefore become one of the technologies considered under the country’s clean cooking strategy. Its long-term adoption, however, will depend on whether it can satisfy the cost, safety and accessibility requirements of ordinary households.
