Gas could be a solution to blackouts

Malawians seem to have come to terms with indefinite load shedding schedules from the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) more especially when you almost get “uncomfortable” when you see electricity not going off at anticipated periods.

You feel something has not happened in the routines of a day. All in all lack of electricity really irritates every household.

During blackouts, which are sometimes prolonged, cooking and lighting are the major concerns as we are forced to switch to charcoal, candles, paraffin stoves and lamps. No need to explain all hustles behind the use of such energy.

However, it is high time people thought of another smart, reliable, but not extensively explored alternative thus gas.

The word GAS to many Malawians is almost mentioning a bomb ready for explosion, but on the contrary, it is not like that. Every type of energy has related risks mainly when mishandled. All what one needs is proper handling by following the right requirements.

Liquefied petroleum gas [LPG] is a fossil fuel appropriate enough to suppress our power failure hardships when it comes to cooking, lighting and heating during very cold temperatures.

Initially, some of the requirements with gas include; buying cylinders, which are in different sizes depending on consumption scale and extra accessories for either cooking, lighting or heating. Most of these are found and sold locally. For example, handigas is a gas “Mbaula” which comprises a cylinder and a burner and really works fine for cooking.

As another way of participating in the fight against deforestation through buying of charcoal or firewood, LPG use has a substantial input as a convenient alternative. Government has for so long cried out to the public to curb the catastrophic forests onslaught, unfortunately it has not emphasised much to endorse sustainable alternative fuel to firewood, leaving the public with no option but to continue plundering the natural resource.

Of course some efforts were introduced on the market, but could not offer clean and controllable energy such as electricity, which, we all prefer, but LPG does. With LPG you work the same way as with electricity, switching on and off a gas cooker or stove and so too gas lamps.

As highlighted earlier, Malawians just have natural fear towards use of gas, but learn it from me, gas is fully controlled by valves and switches that regulate its flow out. All you need is to simply open when you want to cook and close when you are finished.

Cost! Thou shall not fear. Apart from the initial one off cost of buying the gas cooker, stoves or any other additional accessories, for example, six kilogrammes of LPG does not cost much and last for approximately forty eight continuous cooking hours.

In fact, this is pretty long considering that you only use it during times when electricity is off. Comparably if we are to think of “Mbaula” and all associated snags it is quite apparent now to switch to natural gas.

I personally, feel a number of Malawians can afford this type of fuel. The only problem has been lack of knowledge about its existence and how it works. The perception that we have had about gas deters even that effort to learn what gas can do mainly at household scale.

At least for those who have travelled to developed countries, gas use is the order of the day. As Malawians we have to try gas and avoid complaining about electricity power blackouts.