Steven Mugema will give a presentation on renewable energy resources in Uganda. Uganda has significant potential for renewable energy generation, including hydroelectricity (2,200 MW potential), solar (200 MW), biomass (1,650 MW), geothermal (450 MW), peat (800 MW), and wind. However, currently only a small fraction of this potential is exploited, with renewable energy excluding large hydropower contributing less than 2% of Uganda's total energy consumption. The presentation will provide details on Uganda's various renewable energy resources and their potential.

1. PRESENTATION BY:
STEVEN MUGEMA
08/U/2904/EED/PD
KYU-BEEEM/III
0771489406/0703172875
semven2000@yahoo.com

2. The Republic of Uganda is a landlocked country in
East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of
Africa". It is bordered by Kenya in the east ,
Republic of Southern Sudan in the north ,
Democratic Republic of Congo in the west , Rwanda
in the southwest , and Tanzania in the south .
The southeastern part of the country includes a
substantial portion of Lake Victoria, which is also
shared by Kenya and Tanzania.

3. The statistics of Uganda are as bellow
Capital (largest city) Kampala
Official languages English, Swahili
Vernacular Languages Luo Luganda, Luo, Runyankore,
Runyoro, Ateso, Lumasaba,
Lusoga, Lunyole, Samia
Total surface area 241,550.7 km2
Total population (2010 mid-year) 31.8 million people
Population density (2002 123 persons/km2
census)
GDP at current market prices 46,027.8 billion Shs
Per capita GDP at current 1,336,400 Shs
market prices
Per capita GDP growth rate at 1.9 percent
constant (2002) market prices
Temperature 16-31oC
Electricity consumption/capita 55kWh/capita

4.  Renewable energy resources are inexhaustible assets of
energy. i.e they can’t be depleted.
 Uganda is richly endowed with a variety of renewable
energy resources which include plentiful woody and non-
woody biomass, solar, wind, geothermal and hydrological
resources.
 Presently, with the exception of biomass, only a meager
fraction of the country’s renewable energy potential is
exploited.
 It is estimated that other renewable sources of energy,
excluding large hydropower, contribute less than 2% of
Uganda’s total energy consumption.

5. UGANDA’S ENERGY POTENTIAL
In Uganda there are various renewable energy resources but most of them are
unexploited for energy production and provision of energy services.
There resources include; hydro-electricity, solar, biomass, geothermal, peat, wind
with there estimated potential (MW) IM as below;
ENERGY SOURCES ESTIMATED ELECTRICAL
POTENTIAL (MW)
Hydro-electricity 2,200
Solar 200
biomass 1,650
Geothermal 450
Peat 800
wind -
TOTAL 5,300

6. BIOMASS ENERGY

7. The process involves production of heat and electricity from mainly
agricultural residue or feedstock and is convenient in situation where
there are excess agricultural residues such as bagasse, coffee and
rice husks. Kakira sugar works limited and Sugar Corporation of
Uganda limited were issued license to generate electricity using
bagasse, a by-product of sugar manufacturing process.
 Kakira sugar works limited generate a total of 18MW, of which
12MW is for sale to the grid and the rest for their consumption Sugar
corporation of Uganda generates 9.5MW for their own use.
 Kinyara sugar Ltd generates 7.5MW of electricity from bagasse,
where 5MW was for sale and 2.5MW for their own consumption

9. This is energy that is generated from Partially
carbonized vegetable matter saturated with water is
used as a fuel when dried. This can be used to
produce about 20MW of power.
Peat volume of about 250 Mton exists in Uganda but
this resource would be adequate for generation of
about 800 MW of electricity in the next 50 years.
Available sources are dispersed mainly in western
Uganda and south-western Uganda, where the
desired characteristics are better than other regions
in Uganda

10. Solar energy is energy that is derived from radiations from the sun. This is
accomplished by battery storage and a use of a grid-connected solar system. The
system feeds the grid with energy during day light and draws energy from it during
night when required.
Uganda has mean solar radiation of 5.1 KWh/m2 per day on a horizontal surface. The
country has a potential of 11.98 108MWh gross energy resource but the
conversion efficiency is just 10%. The re exists an average of 5-6 kWh /m2/day of
solar insolation.
Applications for solar energy.
 Off-grid electrification using photovoltaic solar cells that supply power to users.
 solar cooking and heating foodstuffs through solar ovens , and
 Generating electricity using space solar power satellite in geostationary orbit and
beaming it down via microwaves.
 Heating water or air for domestic hot water and space. This needs the use of solar
thermal panels.
 Heat and cool air through use of solar chimneys
 solar panels laid on house top

11. Solar photovoltaic panels
Graph showing the outside a secondary school at
growth of solar the Bukasa demonstration site
photovoltaic market (Lake Victoria,Uganda).

12.  This is energy that is due to tectonic processes in the earth’s crust, through
the cracks , the heat from the core heats up the adjacent rocks such that any
water that comes into contact with them is heated up or turned to steam.
This can be used to run turbines that produce the energy
 Uganda has an estimated geothermal resource potential of 450 MW, mainly
located in the Western Rift valley part of the country. Feasibility studies are
recommended to improve confidence in the resource and promote
development.
 The major areas under study are Katwe-Kikorongo, Buranga and Kibiro.
They are all situated in the Western branch of the East African Rift valley
that runs for most of its length along the border of Uganda with the
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The three areas were chosen as
priority areas because of their volcanic and tectonic features that are
indicators of powerful heat sources and permeability.
 Other geothermal areas are located on the outskirts and/or close to the rift
valley in SW-Uganda and Northern Uganda. Surface exploration in the three
areas has reached advanced stages while in the other areas it is still at
preliminary level.

13. LOCATION OF GEOTHERMAL AREAS IN UGANDA

14.  This is energy derived from wind depending on the speed of
the air currents. Recent studies indicate that the wind speed
in most areas in Uganda is moderate, with average wind
speed in low heights (low than 10m) ranging from 1.8m/s to
4.0m/s but high around lake Victoria and karamoja area
estimated to more than 6m/s,indicating a moderate potential
for wind power.
 Possible applications for the technology exist, for example,
water pumping
 Small-scale power generation in mountainous areas. Most
windmills in Uganda are found in Moroto district.

15.  This is power generated as a result of flowing water that rotates the
turbines. Hydropower plants convert the kinetic energy contained in
falling water or potential energy contained in stored water into
electricity. Water goes through a turbine which converts kinetic
energy in water into mechanical energy. The rotation mechanism of
the water turbines transfers energy to a generator which produces
electricity.
 Uganda’s vast hydropower potential, estimated at 3000 MW, less
than 10% is currently exploited. Currently, a 250 MW hydropower
project is under-way in the Jinja district of the country.
 .

16.  Nalubaale and Kiira Complex
Currently two large power plants namely Nalubaale in Mukono District and
Kiira in Jinja District have been in operation since 1954 and 2002 respectively.
The installed capacity of Nalubale power station is 180 MW while that of Kiira is
200 MW but due to prolonged drought and the associated low water level in Lake
Victoria, the effective generation lies between 130MW – 180MW
 Bujagali
Bujagali is the third largest hydropower plant on Nile River in Uganda
currently under construction with anticipated capacity of 250MW and it’s
expected to be fully commissioned this year
Numerous other hydropower ventures are being investigated by both
Ugandan and Japanese contractors, as well as the government

17. SMALL HYDRO- POWER PLANTS IN OPERATION
A number of small hydropower plants with total installed capacity of slightly over
15MW are in operation in various parts of the country as indicated below
SITE DISTRICT INSTALLED STATUS
CAPACITY
(MW)
Mobuku 3 Kasese 10 In operation by kasese cobalt
company Ltd
Mobuku 1 Kasese 5.4 In operation by Kilembe Mines
Ltd
Kuluva Arua 0.12 In operation by Kuluva hospital
Kagando Kasese 0.06 In operation by Kagando
hospital
Kisiizi Bushenyi 0.29 In operation by Kisiizi hospital
power company Ltd

23. Mr. Davis Bariho Bagamuhunda lecture notes
Energy regulatory authority (www. era.com)
Renewable energy technologies in Uganda by
Geoffrey Kamase