The story published in the New Vision on March 11, 2015 on “solar plane starts leg two of the epic flight” just raises questions and at the same time answers for Uganda’s energy sector access initiatives.
The United Nations secretary general hailed the venture and congratulated the pilots and his spokesman went ahead to say “With their daring and determination, we can all fly into a new and sustainable future”
The question now remains: will Uganda fly into an energy sustainable future with the rest of the world and consequently achieve the objective of UN Sustainable Energy for All Initiative (SE4ALL)?
In Uganda more than 90% of the population does not have access to electricity, the biggest percentage being rural communities. A lot of efforts have been directed towards the Rural Electrification programme which is being implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).
The government of Uganda has overtime borrowed money for the Rural Electrification Programme a perfect example being the Energy for Rural Transformation Project (ERT) which is funded by the World Bank as a three-phase Adaptable Programme Loan (APL) valued at $135m.
The Programme Development Objective is to increase access to energy in rural areas. This project emphasizes registering successful implementation in the first phase of the Programme and the second phase (ERT II) is currently under implementation up to June 2016 with preparations commencing for the third phase of the Programme expected to be effective by August 2014 to 2019(5years).
Surprisingly despite the emphasis on registering success in the first phase of the ERT project REA failed to achieve its 10% target in ensuring electricity access to rural households.
REA acknowledges their failure and emphasizes that their Output Based Aid programme (OBA) is addressing challenges of affordability to ensure electricity access. Therefore there is need to appreciate that the failure of REA to achieve their targets will directly translate into the failure of Uganda to achieve an energy sustainable future
For Uganda to achieve a sustainable energy future there is need for such programmes to diversify and critically look at harnessing other renewable energy sources that are more appropriate for rural areas rather than concentrating on dam construction and connecting rural households on the national grid which has overtime proved un affordable.
A simple question REA should take into account in project initiation would be, how many rural households can be connected on clean energy sources like solar with the same $135m (UGX 351 billion) acquired from the World Bank for Energy for rural transformation project.
Barefoot Uganda, a solar provider offers solar panels supporting four bright lights for activities in four rooms ,two USB outputs on the controller allowing simple and easy charging of phones, radios and other devices plus an output and cig plug socket allowing the powering of 12V appliances costs $142.
This means that from this loan about 950,704 rural households in Uganda would have the chance to access decent, affordable and clean lighting energy solutions .It is therefore important for these projects to look back and evaluate the impact of their interventions and compare them with other alternative solutions.
By doing so Ugandans will gain access to diverse affordable sustainable energy sources and consequently achieve UN sustainable Energy for All Initiative which is “to make energy access to 500m people in developing countries a reality by 2030”
http://www.newvision.co.ug/mobile/Detail.aspx?NewsID=666365&CatID=4
arphilloh@gmail.com
Saturday, 11 July 2015
Consider needs of rural women in development of energy sector
The gender question in regard to energy issues in Uganda has for long been kept in the background. It is evident that women and children in rural areas are the most affected by energy needs. Most of us have all witnessed the situation in rural households where women and children spend countless hours either collecting firewood or fetching water.
Clearly energy, gender and poverty in Uganda are very strongly inter-related. solving rural women’s cooking energy needs, water needs through water pumping would free up women’s time and reduce drudgery allowing them to participate more in productive activities .
This would contribute to enabling livelihoods through increased output, improved working conditions and increased hours for production thus reducing poverty.
Clearly energy, gender and poverty in Uganda are very strongly inter-related. solving rural women’s cooking energy needs, water needs through water pumping would free up women’s time and reduce drudgery allowing them to participate more in productive activities .
This would contribute to enabling livelihoods through increased output, improved working conditions and increased hours for production thus reducing poverty.
For rural women, clean energy would directly translate into health gains through clean cooking and improved health services by ensuring the efficient operation of medical equipment that would guarantee safer deliveries thus reduced maternal and infant mortality rate.
How then does the most affected person by major energy needs become excluded from the energy sector planning, policy formulation and interventions?
How then does the most affected person by major energy needs become excluded from the energy sector planning, policy formulation and interventions?
Have we ever asked ourselves that most probably consulting rural women on energy issues could lead to informed energy sector interventions and provide solutions to energy woes and eradicate poverty in Uganda?
Without question, for the Ugandan government to achieve sustainable energy for all(SE4ALL), the unique aspects that gender dynamics play in influencing energy access, energy efficiency and most importantly gender needs in relation to the preferred renewable energy sources have to be taken into account.
Without question, for the Ugandan government to achieve sustainable energy for all(SE4ALL), the unique aspects that gender dynamics play in influencing energy access, energy efficiency and most importantly gender needs in relation to the preferred renewable energy sources have to be taken into account.
Over the years one of the single biggest concerns has been the limited evidence relating to the use of the gender approach in energy sector reform and regulation in Uganda. In Uganda’s energy sector the emphasis on women and girls is limited because energy interventions are usually implemented in a gender-neutral way.
This is based on the assumption that women and men benefit equally. In reality, energy interventions are gender-blind and fail to recognise that the needs of women and men are different thus missing issues that would be significant in implementing interventions that are of relevance to women.
This is based on the assumption that women and men benefit equally. In reality, energy interventions are gender-blind and fail to recognise that the needs of women and men are different thus missing issues that would be significant in implementing interventions that are of relevance to women.
A perfect example is that the question of using a gender approach has not been taken into account in the extension of energy sources in Uganda rural areas. The importance of extensively consulting women and getting their suggestions is never considered.
Questions are never asked to ensure that the energy sources distributed are affordable, accessible and efficient to the needs of women instead, the government concentrates in distributing unaffordable energy sources like hydro power electricity which isn’t affordable to rural women.
Therefore, Uganda’s energy sector should take into account the gender dynamics specifically the involvement of women.
Questions are never asked to ensure that the energy sources distributed are affordable, accessible and efficient to the needs of women instead, the government concentrates in distributing unaffordable energy sources like hydro power electricity which isn’t affordable to rural women.
Therefore, Uganda’s energy sector should take into account the gender dynamics specifically the involvement of women.
The reason is that women’s productivity and wellness is greatly affected by challenges entwined with energy issues leading to high poverty levels. Understanding of the aspects of gender in relation to interventions of improving energy access can empower women, girls and improve affordable energy access thus reduce poverty.
http://www.monitor.co.ug/OpEd/Commentary/needs-rural-women-development-energy-sector/-/689364/2721446/-/eqrxdp/-/index.html
arphilloh@gmail.com
Uganda:Energy efficiency is not about distributing bulbs
On July 1, the government launched the distribution of one million free light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
The project, worth Shs 10 billion, will benefit electricity consumers. It is expected to make electricity affordable since these LED bulbs can save up to 85 per cent energy, thus reducing on the high cost of lighting bills.
As Ugandans, we appreciate the measures government has put in place to address energy efficiency and access. However, it is evident that, over time, this concept has been misinterpreted by government. Energy efficiency and access is not just about lighting.
The most pressing questions are why can’t we get cheap clean energy to enable us operate our businesses and consequently increase our profit margins? How does the government expect the Youth Livelihood Programme and other crosscutting initiatives to generate maximum benefits for the people and stir economic growth if the operation power costs are high for enterprises?
Why isn’t clean cooking energy affordable even to the middle-class Ugandan? A new study by Dr Cornelius Kazoora, a private consultant, indicates that Uganda produces charcoal worth Shs 87bn annually!
For me, most energy efficiency and access projects being implemented are blind to the needs and views of most Ugandans. In May 2015, the minister for energy and mineral development, Irene Muloni, attended a Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) forum in New York. During the forum, Muloni stressed that the SE4ALL action agenda for Uganda was undergoing validation.
The SE4ALL action agendas priority areas are energy efficiency, access and renewable energy. According to the SE4ALL initiative, the validation process is supposed to involve a wide range of stakeholder groups, the civil society being mentioned as a key player.
The question is: why are Ugandans not involved in the validation process? The Africa Institute for Energy Governance (Afiego), which is a key and active civil society player in the energy sector, has never been notified to make a contribution to the SE4ALL action agenda for Uganda.
How then will Ugandans’ energy needs be conclusively addressed under various energy initiatives and consequently achieve the UN SE4ALL 2030 vision for Uganda which is “All Ugandans accessing affordable electricity by 2030”.
We, therefore, need to involve and widely invest in assessing the needs of the people in order to maximise the benefits from various energy initiatives.
We, therefore, need to involve and widely invest in assessing the needs of the people in order to maximise the benefits from various energy initiatives.
http://www.observer.ug/viewpoint/letters/38589-your-mail-energy-efficiency-is-not-about-distributing-bulbs
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