Alternative Energy
Our potential to produce vast new energy supplies from abundant alternative sources could help Ugandans improve their quality of life and competitiveness in world markets. However, instead of forging ahead with major geothermal, solar, mini-hydroelectric, and co-generation projects to produce 21st century energy – and energy efficiency programs proven to work – our government lavishes billions of dollars we don’t have on large dam projects that continue to fail.
We have long championed the full development of these new sources because of their sustainability, cost-effectiveness, availability to even remote communities, resilience to climate change effects, and potential to replace harmful large hydroelectric dams and other damaging sources of energy.
For example, building one large solar farm using massed solar reflectors that direct intense heat to drive a central steam turbine could add 250 MW to the national grid at a cost of $US600 million to $US1 billion – the same output as the Bujagali Dam, without the environmental damage.
NAPE’s action agenda for alternative energy focuses on projects that can yield sustainable, cost-effective results for generations to come.
NAPE Actions
Geothermal Energy
NAPE advocates an aggressive program to develop three potential geothermal energy sources already identified that could yield 450 MW, according to Uganda’s geological survey department. It identified three sites at Katwe, Buranga and Kibiro in the ancient volcanic belt near the border with Congo.
This production roughly equals the combined production of the Bujagali and Karuma dams – for a fraction of the over $3US billion combined cost of those dams. Not only that, some of the heat extracted from the sites could be used directly by industry and agriculture. But instead of accelerating geothermal development – at a cost of $35US million – the government is stalling and studying.
NAPE has pressed for accelerated development of our geothermal resources for nearly a decade, including these actions:
We organized national and regional meetings in 2003 to promote development, bringing together NGO leaders and government officials with scientists from Kenya and the U.S. to discuss successful projects in other nations, chiefly Kenya.
In 2004, NAPE visited sites in Kenya to learn about projects there that today are yielding nearly 160 MW of electricity for that country, with plans for another 578 MW by 2017. Geothermal facilities would then furnish 25 percent of Kenya’s electricity needs. Even Ethiopia has a geothermal plant today.
The next year, NAPE published a civil society guide to geothermal development in Uganda, including an emphasis on ensuring that affected communities share in the benefits.
By 2007, NAPE carried out awareness campaigns with communities living near potential geothermal sites.
Dissatisfied with the slow pace in Uganda, NAPE has renewed pressure on government to accelerate development, using funds that would otherwise be used for new hydroelectric projects.
Solar Energy
Despite Uganda’s ideal location on the Equator for solar exposure, our government continues to ignore the great potential of this energy source. To accelerate development of this vast, free source of energy, NAPE has the following action agenda:
With the OilWatch and African Rivers networks, Africa Institute for Energy Governance and other NGOs, NAPE promotes solar energy as an alternative to expensive electricity generation by large dams and oil-fired generators.
Because heating water consumes so much electricity and wood, NAPE especially emphasizes replacing these with inexpensive solar water heaters, especially for such facilities as rural health clinics and tourist areas. Providing only 65,000 existing customers who use electricity to heat water with solar water heaters would save 46MW during peak hours, at a cost of US$91 million.
We advocate programs to train and equip men and women as artisanal manufacturers of solar water heaters, which require little more than clear glass, metal pipes, a durable flat box, and connections to an insulated tank.
NAPE advocates government investments in solar photovoltaic systems ranging in scale from small rural units supplying individual buildings or local distribution systems to large “solar farms” supplying the national electricity grid.
We also advocate, on a lower-tech level, individual solar ovens that can reduce villagers’ need for wood fuels.
Other Alternative Sources
NAPE’s action agenda includes advocating an exhaustive government program to identify and development fully other alternatives, such as:
Combustible municipal and industrial waste to drive turbine generators, supplying the national electricity grid. Huge amounts of Kampala’s solid and sewage effluent wastes wait to be exploited for biogas as well.
Expanding the use of co-generation linkages that already generate 10 MW with others can significantly increase what is fed to the national grid. Adding another 50 MW of such capacity would cost only US$108 million.
For example, Kinyara Sugar in 2011 co-generated 12 MW from its Jinja sugar mill and had expansion underway to generate 30 MW. If it could sell its electricity to the grid for 10 cents per kwh, instead of the current 6.15 cents, Kinyara stated that it could generate at least 50 MW. Compared to the cost of new large dams, this is a bargain for Uganda’s stressed consumers.
Wind turbines are capable of generating electricity for local use in some high-wind areas, such as Lake Victoria, but government is not taking any action.
Over 60 mini-hydro sites have been identified, but no real effort is being made to develop them.
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