An Implementation Science Analysis of an Ethanol Cooking Fuel Promotion Project in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

In this study, the authors conduct an implementation science analysis of Phase I of the “Promotion of Bio-Ethanol as Alternative Clean Fuel for Cooking in the United Republic of Tanzania” project, describing the roll-out of this market-based bioethanol stove program. Leveraging program administrative data, individual interviews, and focus group discussions, we apply the RE-AIM framework to evaluate the successes and limitations of the project. The findings point to a number of challenges that impeded the establishment of this new market for ethanol cooking technologies and fuels in Dar es Salaam that were made substantially more difficult by the COVID-19 pandemic.

While individual consumers valued the stove, sales during Phase I fell far short of targets. Several factors played a role in this underperformance, including the ubiquity and convenience of alternative charcoal fuel, the initial and recurring costs of ethanol stoves and fuel refills, and the limited accessibility of ethanol retail outlets to consumers. Although the initial rollout of bioethanol stoves in Dar es Salaam underperformed, representatives from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and stove distributors remain optimistic that the next phase of the project will yield improved results. This review of this large-scale clean energy project provides key lessons for other similar initiatives, and emphasizes the importance of supportive policies in promoting clean energy.