The Ugandan government is set to construct five renewable energy plants in the districts of Arua, Jinja, Mbale, Mbarara and Masaka. The waste-to-energy plants are expected to increase access to energy and will operate using human waste to generate 2.9MW.
According to the Assistant Commissioner in charge of renewable energy at the Ministry of Energy, Mr John Tumuhimbise, the government has received US $3.2m from Global Enforcement Facility for the projects.
“We are going to do co-financing for the projects locally where the government expects to raise an additional US $14m to kick start construction in the next financial year,” he said.
According to Mr. Tumuhimbise the plants will not only supplement the available energy but will also be expected to reduce greenhouse emission, increase energy security and create both direct and indirect employment.
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Environmental factor
Mr Francis Pariyo an environmentalist welcomed the initiative adding that if waste is not managed well, it will cause global warming and destruction of lives through the emission of greenhouse gasses such as Carbon-oxide. “If you convert these greenhouse gases into electricity, you have eliminated the danger of emitting them into the atmosphere,” he said.
Mr Eric Yobo a businessman in Arua District, also said that such projects not only provide power but create jobs for youth. He further called upon the government to bring up more of such projects as a way of employing the youth and keep their mind active and positive.
The construction of the project will take place in a space of two years under three phases and thereafter the private sector will be encouraged to come and invest in the sector.
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