Uganda National Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Alliance (UNREEEA)
Exploring the untapped potential of Renewable Energies (RE) in Uganda and embracing the benefits of off grid solutions in the developing world
Exploring Uganda’s renewable energy sector
Uganda has the potential to become a world leader in the use of renewable energies (RE). Yet, the country has historically struggled with the provision of energy, importing power from neighbouring East African countries. To this day, the Government continues to battle a power supply crisis that cripples the national economy.
Although a landlocked country, Uganda is blessed with a natural wealth of renewable resources thanks to its diverse ecosystems.
A verdant and fertile nation, biomass is available in abundance, derived from vegetation, crop residues and waste from hardwood plantations. Boasting Africa’s largest freshwater lake, and a multitude of waterways, Uganda is also heavily reliant on hydropower - the majority deriving from hydroelectric stations on the Victoria Nile in the southern part of the country.
Both biomass and hydropower represent Uganda’s primary sources of renewable energy with the highest generation capacity. Indeed, biomass currently accounts for 90 percent of the country’s total primary energy consumption. Plans to expand hydroelectric capacity remain under development as part of the Government’s ‘Hydropower Development Master Plan’ and several small hydropower sites have already come to fruition.
Like many sub-Saharan countries, Uganda is not unique in its reliance on hydropower, but the impact of climate change and subsequent droughts and erratic rainfall mean that its reliability for the supply of electricity is waning. Meanwhile, the high demand for wood fuels generated from biomass, for example firewood and charcoal particularly in rural areas, contributes to harmful deforestation practices and overuse. Diversification is needed.
The core resources are there to ensure the country’s sustainable energy future – indeed, it is estimated that Uganda as a nation has an overall renewable energy power generation of 5,300 megawatts (MW). Yet the country is stuck in a limbo-like state, faced with a multitude of factors that impede the sector’s progress in realising its full potential. Largely, this comes down to the perceived fiscal and technical risk.
As an emerging economy, Uganda needs appropriate funding and investments to fully utilise the natural resources that remain unexploited.
Solar energy is an area that merits expansion whilst the opportunities presented by geothermal are very much in their reconnaissance stage. The Great Rift Valley holds a staggering potential for geothermal power which is yet to be harnessed, although estimated to generate 450 MW.
Meanwhile, solar power presents a promising solution to tackling the problem of rural electrification in a country that has one of the lowest per capita electricity consumption rates in the world. Over 30,000 solar PV (photovoltaic) systems have already been installed in rural areas where Government lacks the funding to extend the grid. Both present exciting investment opportunities.
A prevailing trend in worldwide development across a multitude of sectors, the consolidation of the private and public sectors through various partnerships presents a way forward. By joining forces, this will improve the financial viability of national utilities and their planning capacities to integrate renewable energy production nationwide whilst attracting essential public investments.