Implement Commitments Under Compact Agreement To Increase Off-Grid Solar Services In Uganda

By Patrick Edema

The government of Uganda and United Kingdom (U.K) signed the Compact Agreement in 2016 in line with power Africa and Energy Africa. Under the agreement, the country committed to promoting and expanding investments in off-grid solar opportunities for people as opposed to reliance on single source of electricity and fossil-based power. It was recognized that the single source of power could not improve access to clean energy for Ugandans especially for vulnerable groups such women, youth and others where over 80% of the population remain reliant on biomass energy and other dirty sources.

Under the agreement, the country committed to promoting and expanding investments in off grid solar opportunities, put in place a solar energy policy, a rural electrification law, a solar consumer protection law, create public awareness and many other relevant tools intended to expand clean renewable energy electrification in Uganda.

However, the commitments are yet to be implemented which has significantly lagged behind the progress of clean renewable energy access in the country. This explains why less than 26% of the population have access to electricity and over 90% remain stuck on biomass for most of their key energy needs which has increased pressure on the environment hence posing threats to climate change impacts in the country.

According to the special report of global warming (SR 15, October 2018) by the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change Convention, it estimated that the impact of global warming at 1.5 ^oC above pre-industrial level is due to failure by countries to transition from dirty sources of energy to clean renewable energy as a green source of energy.

The report stated that failure by countries to commit their obligations under different frameworks such as the Sustainable Energy For All programme (SE4ALL), the Paris Climate Change Agreement, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other national, regional and international have significantly hindered the efforts to mitigating climate change impacts in addition to meeting to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

It is clear that the impacts of climate change have been felt all over the world. In Uganda, the impacts of climate change are heavy rains, flooding, landslides, drought, disease outbreaks and epidemics, like malaria and cholera, as well as lightning strikes. These aspects have caused significant implications for agriculture, food security, and soil and water resources.

The unpredictable rainfall patterns have resulted in changing growing seasons and reduced water availability. This has led to several knock-on effects yet many Ugandans depend on rain-fed agriculture and less rain means less food availability, accessibility and utilization. With a majority depending on agriculture for jobs, it has an effect on income levels too.

Therefore, government should deploy renewable energy and if clean energy is rapidly and well-placed can support immediate crisis response efforts including electrification of public health value chains, improving the education system, improve businesses opportunities among others, the country shall be able to achieve her targets of increasing electricity access by about 62% and as well as fighting the impacts of climate change that are affecting the Ugandans.

Patrick Edema

Environmental Engineer at Africa Institute for Energy Governance (AFIEGO)