The Ministry of Energy & Mineral Development will host the Energy Week from September 11-15 to sensitize the public on efficient utilisation of energy and alternative modern forms of clean energy. The event will bring together actors in the energy sector- public and private- to display technologies, innovations, products in the energy and to engage in policy discourse on the sector.
Addressing the media at the Uganda Media Centre on Thursday September 7th, Irene Muloni the Energy & Mineral Development minister underscored the importance of energy as an enabler in economic development. She said every component in the economy, from household needs to processing, manufacturing, to medical services, all require energy. Energy, she argued, is therefore an imperative input to national development.
Muloni said government is currently implementing big energy infrastructure to boost the country’s electricity supply. She said the government was also working towards exploiting non-hydro sources of energy. She said plans are in advanced stages to engage Russian South Korean companies with renowned world expertise, to explore possibilities of exploiting nuclear energy. Other alternative energy sources on the government agenda include solar and geo-thermal.
The theme for this year’s Energy Week is “Access to Clean Energy, a Bridge to Sustainable Development.”
According to David Birimumaaso, Commissioner, Energy Efficiency and Conservation, who is one of the organisers of the Week, activities during the week will include an exhibition, a dialogue on bio-mas, a forum on the Future Energy for Uganda and road shows around Kampala.
Over 100 key stakeholders-government agencies, private companies and civil society organizations will exhibit and promote their services, products, technologies as well as participate in the dialogue.
Birimumaaso said the objective of the Week is to “facilitate the exchange of ideas and discussions on pertinent energy related issues, while simultaneously meeting the Ministry’s mandate of establishing, promoting the development of, strategically managing and safeguarding the rational and sustainable exploitation and utilization of energy and mineral resources for social and economic development.”
The Future Energy Uganda that will take place from September 13-14, at Serena Hotel, Kampala) is the leading investor and trade power and energy conference in Uganda.
In an interview with The Infrastructure Magazine, Abu Musuuza, the chief executive officer of Village Energy Uganda, a channel distribution company of solar technologies and solutions said to facilitate the growth and development of alternative energy sources like solar there is need for government to come up with innovative policy solutions. One such innovation, he said, is introduction of reverse metering- a system that credits owners of houses with solar energy system. This system allows individuals who generate solar energy on their premises to sell any excess power they produce to the grid, for which they get paid.
