Uganda

Uganda is the second most populous landlocked country in the world. However, according to the latest figures, only 57.2% of Ugandans have access to electricity in urban areas, dropping to 10% in rural areas.

To rectify this, Uganda has spent the last few years trying to achieve at least 3,200MW of renewable electricity generation capacity by 2030, launching various initiatives to help expand the country’s renewable energy capacity.

For example, one cornerstone of the Uganda Green Growth Growth Development Strategy 2017/18-2030-31, which aims to accelerate economic growth whilst safeguarding natural resources, focuses on enhancing solar power potential.

To increase the uptake of PV, Uganda has also exempted PV panels from import duties and VAT — making them more affordable for the population. And as for large-scale PV projects, there are plenty of solar plants in development…

Planned Projects

Nearing the end of 2022, Ugandan electricity provider Equatorial Power joined the German International Development Cooperation Agency to electrify 27 rural health centres in the West Nile region with small, standalone solar plants. The plants will be connected to battery storage systems with a total capacity of 1.2MWh.

Shortly after this, TotalEnergies EP Uganda agreed on another solar project with the Ugandan government, with six possible sites boasting a 20MW capacity set to be installed across the country.

In December 2022, Uganda also agreed to the Get Access mini-grid programme: a EUR 35 million EU initiative that aims to contribute to the electrification of Uganda’s rural areas and support the transition towards renewable energy by providing clean power to over 110,000 people. Tenders for the mini-grids — sets of small-scale generators that supply electricity to local customers — will begin in 2023, with construction due to commence in 2024. 

Fast-forward a few months, and new PV installations will also help Uganda shoulder the effects of climate change. For example, a new solar-powered irrigation system will provide more reliable water access for rural farmers, promising food security and social stability. Plus, Uganda will gain 1GW of solar capacity from its recent partnership with Madsar, a United Arab Emirates renewable energy company.

SegenSolar is keen to foster the development of additional small and large-scale PV installations across Uganda. If you are a homeowner, you can get in touch for more details about our work. If you are an installer, you can explore our product range on our portal — just log in or sign up for a free account.