By Nicholas Waitathu
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has published new tough regulations to guide users, manufacturers, importers and distributors of the improved biomass cookstoves.
ERC director general Kaburu Mwirichia, in a Kenya Gazette notice published on Friday, directs that all players interested in the acquisition and manufacture business of improved biomass cookstoves must follow issued standards. Eng Mwirichia said the cooking devices shall be manufactured and tested for compliance to relevant Kenyan Standard KS 1841-1:2005 and any other relevant Kenyan standards.
“Imported enhanced biomass cookstoves shall be subjected to destination inspection for compliance with the relevant Kenyan standard and distributors shall distribute only improved biomass cookstoves that are in compliance to the relevant Kenyan standards,” he said in the gazette notice. Further the users of improved biomass cookstoves catering for more than ten people are supposed to acquire the devices that have passed the Kenyan standards.
“No player will be allowed to import the new devices if he or she will not have applied to the commission and issued with a valid licence.” Mwirichia said the standards are meant to protect the end user from distortion by unscrupulous traders who might to make a killing by not adhering to business ethics.
Energy Act
“The commission may revoke any licence issued under these regulations upon being satisfied that the licensee has contravened any form of the terms and conditions of the licence or any provision of the Act,” he added.
The commission has published the regulations as required by the Energy Act, 2006 and allows for 40 days period of public debate before starting to implement them. The members of the public have up to June 6, 2013 to submit written comments on the proposed regulations.
The regulations follow the trend of increased use of biomass cookstoves owing to high cost of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and the need to avoid use of firewood. And streamlining the use of biomass cookstoves will make Kenya join the league of other countries in the world such as India that use this source of energy. The Energy (Improved Biomass Cookstoves) Regulations, 2013 applies to manufacturers, importers, distributors, technicians and contractors of improved biomass cookstoves and institutions using biomass fuels for cooking and heating purposes.
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