By Nakizito Anita

Kampala: Uganda is among the fastest growing populations in the world, at a rate of about 3.6% per annum, this means that forest cover is at risk since land is needed for settlement and cultivation. The study conducted by the Africa Natural Resources Institute indicates that forest cover loss has now increased to an estimated 200,000 hectares annually. Deforestation for firewood, charcoal, construction, and agriculture reduces the ability of forests to absorb carbon dioxide and regulate the local climate. 

Over the years, the population has been highly dependent on fossil fuel since it is easily accessible hence the disruption in weather patterns. Charcoal for example is widely used by most households in the city and firewood in the rural areas. It is considered affordable since it is freely collected. 

In May 2023, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni signed an executive order that banned the production of and trade in charcoal in northern Uganda as part of the efforts to protect the environment, this caused a shoot in the prices of charcoal in urban areas which is the most popular energy source for cooking giving birth to an illicit trade. However to support the presidential directive, affordable clean cooking alternatives are to be considered and supported.

Are the masses aware of the benefits of energy efficiency? 

The population has little knowledge about other sources of energy besides biomass. They are constrained by the pinching poverty that limits them from exploring the different types of clean cooking energy resources. The high costs of modern cooking stoves and fuels compared to fossil fuel, the lack of financing for stove distributors and potential customers, and insufficient distribution infrastructure for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), all hinder the success. 

Although the government through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development has managed to provide LPG gas to households that can afford to refill the gas can once it is finished this program as well has also been constrained by inadequate funds to produce enough gas cylinders by the ministry. 

In a bid to achieve the real energy transformation among the masses, Uganda’s energy transformation plan 2023 launched at the COP 28 climate summit in Dubai by the minister of energy and mineral development Ruth Nankabirwa, demonstrates the government’s commitment towards renewable energy. Uganda represents an example of a country caught between the push towards clean energy and the immediate economic benefits of crude oil production. The plan aims at leveraging Uganda’s natural resources responsibly through an innovative funding model, revenues from the oil and gas sector and minerals will be harnessed to propel the transition towards cleaner energy thus realizing sustainable development. 

There is a desire among the population to turn to clean cooking however they are limited by the expense that comes with the transition. 

“I have recently connected to grid electricity through UMEME but the process was quite expensive for me,” Ndagire Josephine a resident of Kanyanya, a city suburb narrates. “Cooking on electricity is an expensive option and because charcoal prices have also been hiked, I had to cut down these grown trees in my compound to get firewood which will take me some time.” 

What actions are being implemented in communities to mitigate energy poverty? Adoption of energy-saving stoves, solar energy and biogas are now considered for better energy utilization. Since income is also a determining factor for the adoption of clean cooking, the government of Uganda has encouraged private sector participation in renewable energy projects through various incentives and tax breaks. This strategy has attracted both local and international investors, fostering innovation and driving the renewable energy sector’s growth.

The eco stove is one of them. However, acquiring one of these comes in handy, it is efficient since it is cost-efficient in the long run.

This stove uses volcanic rocks for cooking. It has an inbuilt fan that blows oxygen into it which enables the rocks to keep burning. The eco stove has a Solar energy-powered battery which helps to power the stove. 

According to Partson Tumugabirwe an administrator at Eco stove organization, this innovation is one of a kind since it can be powered by solar and electricity. A bag of volcanic rocks can last up to two years of clean cooking, unlike charcoal.

The Energy Transformation Plan 2023 states that progress on access to clean cooking has also picked up in response to recent programmes, but remains low. Only 5% of users rely on liquified petroleum gas (LPG) or electricity, largely in urban centres, while the other 10% have access to improved biomass cookstoves (ICS), which burn biomass more efficiently, delivering some of the health and time-saving benefits of clean cooking.

Commercial buildings and industries also rely on solid biomass for most of their energy needs, although some are modernizing quickly. Solid biomass satisfies more than 80% of demand in the industry sector, with firewood consumption within the brickmaking segment accounting for the largest share.

Bio lite stove is a smokeless stove that can also charge the phone, it comprises a thermal electric power generator at the back that can convert the heat into thermal energy.

Through these approaches, Uganda’s energy will be both economically viable and environmentally responsible. 

Uganda’s energy future should be driven by a commitment to the well-being of its people and the conservation of its natural resources. 

Through the third national Development Plan 2022-2027, there is a target to reduce the consumption of biomass by 50% in 2027 and also increase the number of people using clean cooking by 50 % through the distribution of 13kg LPG gas cylinders to increase LPG access to 20% by 2030. 

This Story was Compiled and reported By Nakizito Anita