TAREA has been realizing its objectives through the following initiatives/activities:

  • Applied Research

    TAREA conducts various applied research in renewable energy and energy efficiency.   It conducted the study of using solar lanterns for fishing small fish in Mwanza. The study was completed and now the market of solar fishing lights is matured around the Tanzania side of Lake Victoria.  

    TAREA in cooperation with universities conducts applied research at the institutions and communities to develop renewable energy and energy efficiency systems.

  • Community awareness raising

    TAREA has been conducting renewable energy and energy efficiency awareness-raising through village and national renewable energy days; stakeholder workshops; study tours; leaflets; TV and Radio talks; webinars; and newspaper articles. 

    TAREA also provides renewable energy information to target groups through its website, e-newsletter,  and online social media (X, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter). 

  • Enabling community access to the renewable energy

    TAREA supports installations of renewable energy and energy efficiency systems to enable off-grid communities’ access to sustainable energy.   TAREA supports solar systems (solar water heaters and solar photovoltaics); and sustainable clean cooking solutions (improved cookstoves and associated fuels, and Electric Pressure Cookers). The installations are also used for awareness raising.

  • Energy efficiency

    TAREA promotes the use of technologies that protect the environment and ensure reliable energy supply at affordable costs. TAREA implemented a project to promote the use of grid-charged and Solar Photovoltaic backup systems instead of using petrol/diesel generators in the Dar es Salaam business centre. The project is called Generator Zero.

    TAREA participates in developing a national energy efficiency strategy and its road map. Members participate in training conducted by the UNDP on energy management, and energy audit.

  • Internship Programs

    TAREA runs three internship programs.

    1.0  Local Graduate Internship

    TAREA hosts graduates from financial institutes to learn renewable energy financing. The internship is for 12 months.

    2.0 Local College/University Students Internship

    TAREA hosts students from local colleges/universities who have an interest in renewable energy and energy efficiency to practice their fields during the practical training semester. 

    3.0 International Internship

    TAREA hosts international students to conduct their studies in mainland Tanzania. Students agree on the subject with TAREA before implementation. The students will use the results of the study for the study report while TAREA will use the report for developing renewable energy and energy efficiency projects for the hosting community/institutions.

  • Policy Advocacy

    TAREA advocates for various policy frameworks to enable renewable energy and energy efficiency market.

    Some achievements in this area are the exemptions of VAT on solar products; the institution of cost-reflective tariffs for renewable energy mini-grids; and the inclusion of renewable energy clean cooking solutions in the National Clean Cooking Strategy of 2024.

    Currently, among others, TAREA is working on advocating for a review of Energy Policy 2015; operationalization of Net Metering Scheme 2018; VAT exemptions on clean cooking solutions; operationalization of Prior Learning Recognition Assessment for renewable energy artisans; and TANESCO signing renewable energy PPAs.

    Subjects for the advocacy are proposed by members.

  • Renewable energy industry and end user protection

    TAREA raises awareness of the members of the community on the presence of counterfeit/substandard products of renewable energies. TAREA trained Fair Competition Commission and Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) workers on how to identify counterfeit/substandard products.

    TAREA cooperates with TBS in developing renewable energy standards and information dissemination.


  • Renewable energy stakeholders networking

    TAREA has been bringing together renewable energy stakeholders through membership. The membership has been growing.  TAREA has two branches with offices in Mwanza and Arusha. TAREA has members from within and outside of Tanzania.


  • Technical Support

    TAREA provides technical advisory support to local and international project developers. 

    TAREA supports communities/institutes with advice; planning and design of renewable energy systems projects; and provides guidelines in the preparation of tender documents; assessment and technical translations of the documents. TAREA also provides technical support on the implementation: training and technical assessment of the results to confirm the quality.

    TAREA has already supported, to mention a few, TUNAJALI-USAID Solar Project, and Enzkreis - Masasi Solar Projects.

  • Trainings

    TAREA conducts and facilitates renewable energy related trainings. Trainings are on building quality practitioners and managers.

    TAREA in cooperation with Arusha Technical College and PUM-Netherlands Senior Experts established ATC Solar Training Centre in Arusha, Tanzania in April, 2019.

    Underneath are some of the trainings that have been conducted/ facilitated by TAREA.

    TAREA has trained more than 400 Solar PV Installers for the regions of Kagera, Geita, Kilimanjaro, Iringa, Tanga, Morogoro, Coast, Mbeya, Songwe, Kigoma, Rukwa, Mtwara, Dodoma, Ruvuma, Lindi, Tabora, Manyara and Singida. It also trained instructors for Vocational Education and Training Authority in solar Photovoltaic Technologies. It has already trained 52 VETA Trainers for the regions of Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Iringa, Dodoma, Mbeya, Mtwara, Ruvuma, Kigoma, Tabora, Singida, Rukwa, Morogoro and Tanga. 

    TAREA has trained members of staff of Fair Competition Commission (7), Tanzania Revenue Authority (36), Tanzania Bureau of Standards (4), Ministry of Energy and Minerals (1), and members of TAREA (2) that work to intervene the supply chain of substandard and counterfeit renewable energy products. The trainings were financially supported by Sida/MEM Solar PV Project.

    Thanks to the partners URBIS Foundation and Microfinanza Associazione e Sviluppo Onlus.

    TAREA in cooperation with Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) started in April, 2014 training regional and district human resource on renewable energy technologies management. Tanzania does not have energy bench at regional and district levels. The training aims at filling the gap. It is expected that when regions and districts have capacity in renewable energy technologies, then they will be mainstreaming renewable energy technologies in development plans and ensure sustainability. Further, it will be an opportunity to establish energy data collection scheme. To date, a total of 72 officers for the regions of Geita, Kagera, Tabora, Kigoma, Rukwa, Katavi and Mwanza have been trained.

    TAREA partnering with COSTECH has initiated promotion of marketing of improved charcoal/ firewood stoves in Lindi and Mtwara regions. The initiative has started by training 12 producers of improved cook stoves from the regions in the year 2015.  The current initiative in the area of biomass cooking is being implemented in the regions of Pwani, Lindi and Mtwara through the financial support of Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN-Denmark).

    TAREA facilitates members to attend the trainings conducted by other institutes like LIFE Academy (Karl Stadt, Sweden), India Institute of Wind (Chennai, India) and National Institute of Solar Energy (Delhi, India).

    Thanks to the partners: Sida; Beruflichen Fortbildungszentren der Bayerischen Wirtschaft (bfz) gGmbH; URBIS Foundation; Microfinanza Associazione e Sviluppo Onlus; and  High Commission of India in Dar es Salaam.