Matthew Matimbwi

Matthew Matimbwi

Dr.-Ing. Matthew Josephat Matimbwi is the graduate of University of Flensburg, Germany, expert of renewable energy and energy efficiency having experience of 25 years. He is the Executive Secretary of Tanzania Renewable Energy Association (TAREA) since 2009 and Chairperson of East Africa Renewable Energy Federation since 2018.

Dr. Matimbwi has been working to promote sustainable renewable energy business. He has been involved in activities of: policy and regulations advocacy and formulation; training; poor community energy access; solar energy standards formulation and enforcement; youth employment; and regional and international renewable energy business integration. Out of East Africa region, he has been involved in the scaling up renewable energy business relationship between Germany, Sweden and India.

Present position: Executive Secretary, Tanzania Renewable Energy Association (TAREA)
Years within the firm: 8 years (total professional experience 22 years)
Key qualifications: Engineering in Renewable Energy Technologies

Eng. Matthew Matimbwi is involved in the implementation of the project Zanzibar Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency working at the position of local training expert.

Eng. Matthew Matimbwi is working in the program of Solar Village Cooperative Banks Revolving Fund that is being implemented in Malinyi, Tanzania. The project is aiming at replacing weak kerosene lanterns with solar lanterns.

Eng. Matthew Matimbwi has been involved in promoting best use of biomass energy resources. He has planned and conducted training on the production of the energy saving biomass stoves to the stove producers of the regions of Lindi and Mtwara in Tanzania.

Eng. Matthew Matimbwi successful led the advocacy on VAT exemption retention for the technologies of solar and wind in Tanzania. Further, he led advocacy on exemption of duty on the raw materials for local production of solar parts and deep discharge batteries.

Eng. Matthew Matimbwi has been taking a lead in advocating for second generation of Tanzania Small Power Project (SPP) rules and REFIT.

Eng. Matthew Matimbwi has been involved in social support project. One of the projects implemented through the efforts of Eng. Matimbwi was the installation of street lights at the business centre at the village of Malinyi, Malinyi district, Tanzania.

Eng. Matthew Matimbwi is the consultant in renewable energy technologies. He has been involved in renewable energy projects in Germany, India and Tanzania. One of the biggest project he has been involved is planning and design of 5MW Solar Photovoltaic System for Twiga Cement, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Eng. Matthew Matimbwi has been working in planning, designing, development and quality assurance of renewable energy projects of wind, solar and bio mass financed by local and international institutions. One of the international institutes whose projects employed Eng. Matthew Matimbwi is USAID-TUNAJALI Program.

Eng. Matthew Matimbwi is involved in the dialogue with Government of Tanzania in creating enabling environment of doing renewable energy business. The dialogues are on the renewable energy technology tax incentives, regulations, policies and small power project rules.

Eng. Matthew Matimbwi has been involved in documenting the Tanzania renewable energy market trends and Tanzania renewable energy actors.

Eng. Matthew Matimbwi has been involved in renewable energy capacity building. He has been training solar installers and district human resource that are responsible for the management of renewable energy technologies at the district and regional levels.

Eng. Matthew Matimbwi has been involved in the activities of renewable energy gender mainstreaming. He has been raising awareness of the college science students to pursue studies in the renewable energy technologies and females undertaking renewable energy technologies technician level trainings.

Eng. Matthew Matimbwi has been a reference source of information of Tanzania renewable energy technologies market. Local and international students and project developers have been contacting him for the Tanzania renewable energy market development information.

Eng. Matthew Matimbwi has been working raising awareness of the Tanzania public on the renewable energy technologies.Every year he organizes National Renewable Energy Day and Village Technology Demonstrations. He further organizes installations of renewable energy systems that are used for the awareness raising while providing social energy service. In the year 2014 one solar photovoltaic system is installed at Matekwe Secondary School in Lindi Region. Further, the technology demonstration will be held at the village.


Membership of professional bodies:

  • Engineers Registration Board -Tanzania
  • Institution of Engineers-Tanzania
  • Tanzania Renewable Energy Association-Tanzania
  • German Alumni Water Network-Germany
  • Engineering for Change-Netherlands

Institution & Degree(s) or Diploma(s) obtained

University of Flensburg, Oct 2014- Apr, 2018 : Doctorate in Solar Photovoltaic Engineering

The World Bank Institute 28Oct-17Nov, 2013 : Energy Sector Strategies to Support Green Growth

Renewables Academy (RENAC) Berlin, Germany 14-18 Oct, 2013 : Certificate in Developing Rural Electrification