More Rwandans are expected to use gas for cooking after a local company introduced cylinders that guarantee safety.

The new and innovative Safe Gas cylinder, which will officially be launched in Kigali today, was first brought into the market last year and has steadily drawn interest from the public.

This will also be another win for environmentalists who are continuously concerned about the number of trees that are cut down to provide energy for cooking.

According to the National Institute of Statistics more than 90 percent of both Rural and Urban residents use charcoal which puts a strain on trees and forest cover.

While there are Rwandans who can afford the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), there have been fears over safety with people opting to avoid gas owing to the risks associated to metallic cylinders.

Liban Mugabo, the Managing Director of Safe Gas Rwanda Ltd—the regional suppliers of the Safe Gas cylinder—told The New Times about the advantages of the innovative product.

"The safe-gas addresses the issues of safety in the sense that it’s made of materials that are non- explosive, non-corrosive, which does not stain surfaces as well,” Mugabo said.

He added that the safe gas cylinders are 50 per cent lighter than common steel containers, making them easy to handle, and refill.

The safe-gas products, are manufactured by the US-based Hexagon Ragasco, the leading manufacturer of composite LPG cylinders with over 10 million cylinders in use worldwide and 15 years of experience.

"The cylinders are made of glass, which enables the user to monitor and see the gas level. In a nutshell, the new product comes to solve the issues which have predominantly marred the LPG business penetration,” Mugabo added.

Another sector that will appreciate the news is real estate. Those living in apartments are unable to use charcoal stoves yet electricity can be pricey if used to cook. Gas provides a convenient option making apartments more attractive.

The initial investment to have the first batch of cylinders in Rwanda cost Safe Gas Rwanda Ltd about $2 million.

"Everybody wants to use gas, but the initial cost is relatively high; it requires one to buy a gas cooker and all other items. We did a market survey and found out that selling the whole cooking set at once would be cheaper for the people. And that’s what we are doing,” Mugabo said.

He noted that a full kit of goes for Rwf 90,000 that includes a 13kgs cylinder, regulator, gas and a cooker. A refill is priced at Rwf 18,000.

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