The document summarizes an analysis of Uganda's energy ecosystem conducted by Team 42. It finds that only 26% of Ugandans have access to electricity, with just 7% in rural areas, where most rely on agriculture. It maps the key players in Uganda's energy sector, including public sector organizations, manufacturers, importers/distributors, and financiers. It also analyzes rural demographics, barriers to financing clean energy access, and proposes solutions like connecting microfinance institutions, maximizing government support, implementing quality controls, and using local businesses to provide energy to households.

1. G O T O 2 0 1 9 – T E A M 4 2
Candidate Numbers
1026111 1034491 1030362 1031973 1019356 1032652

2. Executive Summary
Map the System:
Uganda energy ecosystem
1
Understand key players
2
White label solution
3
Improved clean energy access
4

3. Lack access to reliable, affordable and
clean electricity to fuel basic energy
consumption needs.
Access to
Energy 7%RURAL UGANDANS
37%SUB-SAHARAN
AFRICA
26%UGANDANS
Mid year Population (2000) by District, Sex, Year,” Uganda Bureau of Statistics, http://countrystat.org/home.aspx?c=UGA&tr=26,
2014.
ve Data (roads, boarders, etc.): Uganda Bureau of Statistics and UNOCHA, https://cod.humanitarianresponse.info/search/
cessed on February 20th, 2014.
ural electricity planning in Uganda,” Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 15 (2007), pg 203-217.
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shank Mohan, Aly Sanoh, Vijay Modi, “National electricity planning in settings with low pre-existing grid coverage: Development of
dy of Kenya”, Energy Policy, Vol. 37 (2009), pg. 2395-2410.
o Shen, Kristen Hughes, “Evaluating the potential of small-scale
meet rural livelihood needs: A GIS and lifecycle cost-based as-
s options”, Energy Policy, Vol. 35 (2007), pg. 4391-4401.
urey, Debra Lew, Jose Roberto Moreira, Njeri Wamukonya.
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309-48.
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lied Systems Analysis. Global Energy Assessment: Toward a
ment, Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2012.
es Population Density

4. SystemsMap

5. InternationalNational
PREEP
Energy for Rural
Transformation
PublicSector

6. Rural Uganda Household Demographics
● Many live in extreme income poverty - nearly 1 in 4
households, accounting for more than 90% of the
country’s poor
● Heavily reliant on agriculture sector with low rates of
educational attainment
Why do Ugandans Want Solar?
● Education
● Work/employment-related tasks
● Entertainment
● Health care and services
● Domestic tasks

7. Manufacturer
Importer / Distributor
Sell to 3rd
party
retailer
30%
Franchise
30%
Use MFIs
10%
Direct
sales
30%
Importers and Distributors

8. Financing
Local Banks
Low disposable income of end
users.
FX risk for the energy
operators, no collateral.
Private Equity /
Impact Investors
Some lack expertise; hesitant to
place capital​.
Local operators unversed in the
language of impact investing.
Low risk appetite.
Require large ticket size. ​
Development Partners/
Foundations
Micro-Finance
Institutions
Need to see a business case
showing the profitability of
energy portfolio​.

9. Solution
• Connecting MFIs
• Maximising government support
• Implementing quality control on solar
products
• Local business owners at ”bottom of hill”
provide energy to “top of hill” households

10. Sources
Interviews:
Gidion Laux, Chief Operating Officer of Empower Energy, Uganda, Interviewed on 14 February, 2019
Kathryn Thompson, Director of International Foundation for Women’s and Children’s Empowerment, Uganda, Interviewed on 7 February, 2019
Nabaasa Barnabus, Director of International Foundation for Women’s and Children’s Empowerment, Uganda, Interviewed on 7 February, 2019
Reports and Articles
Campenhout, B., Sekabira, H. and Aduayom, “Poverty and its Dynamics in Uganda” in Growth and Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2019: retrieved from:
http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198744795.001.0001/acprof-9780198744795-chapter-7?print=pdf
Enclude, 2014: Market assessment of modern off grid lighting systems in Uganda. World Bank: Lighting Africa.
History.com Idi Amin Biography., retrieved from: https://www.history.com/topics/africa/idi-amin
Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, 2018: Electricity Connection Policy (2018-2027), retrieved from:
http://rea.or.ug/resources/Electricity%20Connections%20Policy.pdf
M-KOPA. (2018). M-KOPA goes ‘Made in Kenya’ [online]. M-KOPA Solar, retrieved from: http://www.m-kopa.com/m-kopa-goes-made-in-kenya-with-pv-
panels/
RECP. (2019). Renewable Energy Potential - Uganda [online]. Africa - EU Renewable Energy Cooperation Programme, retrieved from: https://www.africa-
eu-renewables.org/market-information/uganda/renewable-energy-potential/
Rural Electrification Agency Uganda, Rural Electrification Strategy and Plan 2013 – 2022, retrieved from:
http://www.rea.or.ug/resources/strategy%20and%20plan%202013-2022.pdf
Shell Foundation (2018). Mapping the Ugandan off-grid energy market. Retrieved from: https://shellfoundation.org/app/uploads/2018/10/SF-OCA-Uganda-
Market-Mapping.pdf
United Nations Development Project. (2015). Unlocking the Development Potential of Northern Uganda. Uganda Human Development Report, retrieved
from: http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/undpug2015_ugandahdr2015.pdf>
World Bank. (2019). Uganda - Lighting Africa [online]. Lighting Africa. [Viewed 29 January 2019]. <https://www.lightingafrica.org/country/uganda/>
World Bank (2016). Access to electricity (% of population) | Data. [online] Data.worldbank.org. retrieved from:
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/eg.elc.accs.zs [Accessed 4 Mar. 2019].
Photo & Video Credit: Freepik.com, Vecteezy.com, International Foundation of Women’s and Children’s Empowerment, YouTube Users: Drink Tea &
Travel, Scidevnet and Taylor Moulton