According to the report from the EU, a sum of US$ 1.8 will see the two projects take off.
The EU says the first contract, will see Camco develop a $1.0 million solar photovoltaic clusters project in Tanzania in which small-scale solar systems will be installed in 15,000 homes in Lake Victoria region over the next three years.
Under the second contract, the United Kingdom-based firm, Camco International Ltd will provide technical assistance to the Belgian Development Agency to develop clean energy projects worth $800,000 in Uganda.
The Minister for Energy and Minerals, William Ngeleja told the East African Business Week that the solar photovoltaic clusters project gears on the vision of the energy sector which aims at effectively contributing to the growth of the national economy and thereby improve the standard of living for the entire nation in a sustainable and environmentally sound manner. "I assure the project developers that the Government will give them all the support they need in a way to implement the project which I believe will takes into account the need for improving access of environmental friendly modern energy services," said Minister Ngeleja.
He said that the energy policy in Tanzania recognizes the importance of private sector participation in development of energy sector which is the engine of industrial investment in the country.
He further said that, the project has come at a time when the Government is struggling to ensure sustainable and reliable power. "Projects like this, in the near future will untie the country from relying on unpredictable power sources", he said.
Speaking with the East African Business Week in Dar es Salaam Ambassador Tim Clarke, the Head of European Union Delegation to Tanzania said that Tanzania and the rest of the EAC region have to adopt solar power to light up their communities because it is reliable, renewable energy and cheap to install and maintain.
He said that the Government should avoid over dependence on hydropower due because in resent years, the world has been facing unpredictable, unreliable climate change that can not sustain or ensure the availability of rain to feed the power dams.
Ambassador Clarke stressed : "The EAC region has to change its mindset of reliance on hydropower source because, as is the present case in Tanzania, prolonged drought has gravely affected electricity generation, and plunged the country into loses to business, industrial production, disrupted social activities and inconveniences to the public."
The Camco President, Yariv Cohen, said his firm has been developing 'green energy development projects' in Africa for the past 20 years and for the past years there has been a clear change in energy sector in different countries.
"We have been witnessing speed of green energy market development, supported by international bodies, African governments, and local communities on the ground and in the near future it will lead to substantial reductions of greenhouse gas emissions," said Cohen.
"We will also collaborate with manufacturers, project developers and technology providers by using the existing proven technology to develop clean energy projects in Uganda in a way to ensure successful clean energy that will lead to substantial reductions of greenhouse gas emissions," said Cohen.
He said that Camco have been developing clean energy projects under both the Kyoto Protocol and the unregulated voluntary carbon offset market.
Camco have been working with companies throughout the world to create advanced projects that deliver clean energy, largely from waste emissions.
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These cockamammy installations on individual low economy homes are almost useless in my opinion.
Those funding these schemes would be FAR better advised to spend a little more and install a local distribution grid with a small local power station which uses whatever local renewable resources are available i.e. sun, wind, small hydro, biomass and waste. These systems will provide the community with releiable 24/7 power and will not be as susceptible to misuse, abuse and theft.
It will ened up being much less expensive in the long run to finance community power stations and will provide the community with real power instead of a few wobbly watts in each building.