GOGLA and USEA sign partnership to scale up the Productive Use of Renewable Energy in Uganda

Kampala, 29th February 2024

GOGLA, the global association for the off-grid solar industry, and USEA, the Uganda Solar Energy Association, with the support of the IKEA Foundation, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to scale up the Productive Use of Solar Energy in Uganda in the next four years. 

The partnership seeks to enhance the use of renewable energy to improve food security and create economic empowerment in Uganda by:

• Enhancing collaboration between government representatives and off-grid solar companies in Uganda.

• Improving the enabling environment for the Productive Use of Renewable Energy (PURE) markets at a national level, ensuring proper coordination between government agencies and other stakeholders.

• Increasing the availability of critical market data and actionable insights for PURE, generating more in-depth knowledge of PURE appliances, products, and solutions rolled out in the country.

• Improving the PURE ecosystem. 

Key facts on productive uses of solar energy in Uganda

• In 2022, 28% of Ugandans had grid energy access and another 28% had access through off-grid solar solutions. 

• Solar technologies offer a cost-effective and viable solution to improve last-mile electrification, supporting the realization of Uganda’s Vision 2040, which aims to increase national electrification access to 80% of the population. 

• Income-generating technology like solar irrigation appears as a particularly promising avenue for social and economic impact for rural households, in a country where approximately 65% of the population works in the agricultural sector.

• In the North and in other water-stressed areas, solar water pumps and sprinklers can open more land for agricultural production, improve farmers’ incomes by diversifying crops and ensure crop yield despite unpredictable rainfall patterns.

• In the Western and Central dairy producing regions, a range of solar cooling solutions including direct current (DC) fridges and solar cold rooms can greatly benefit dairy communities, providing a solution to improve  the 22.5 percent milk “spoil rate” at farm level.

• Other productive uses of solar energy lie in solar maize milling, coffee pulping and solar drying. 

• In the health sector, hospitals and health centres are already using solar for lighting but solar cooling is emerging as an application for preserving vaccines, medicines, and samples.

• For MSMEs, solar energy kits (solar lanterns and home systems) are often used to provide light and power to enterprises e.g., to extend the operational hours of shops, stalls, or restaurants. Solar-powered appliances used in salons and beauty centres (clippers and dryers) and solar powered TVs and music systems used in cinema halls and entertainment centres. 

About GOGLA

GOGLA is the global association for the off-grid solar energy industry. Our 200+ members provide millions of low-income and climate-vulnerable people with affordable, high-quality products and services; rapidly increasing customers’ productivity, connectivity, and resilience. 

To enable sustainable businesses and accelerate energy access, we provide market insights, standards and best practices, and advocate for catalytic policies, programmes and investment. With the right support, our pioneering industry can improve the lives of 1 billion people by 2030. 

To find out more, visit www.gogla.org.

About USEA

USEA Uganda Solar Energy Association (USEA) is an independent non-profit association dedicated to facilitating the growth and development of solar energy business in Uganda and East Africa region. 

USEA was formed in 2016 by private sector companies that deal in solar energy business with help from private sector foundation, Ministry of Energy and Rural Electrification Agency and it is registered under section 10 of the Societies Act. 

Learn more at www.useaug.org 

About IKEA Foundation

The IKEA Foundation is a strategic philanthropy that focuses its grant making efforts on tackling the two biggest threats to children’s futures: poverty and climate change. It currently grants more than €200 million per year to help improve family incomes and quality of life while protecting the planet from climate change. 

Since 2009, the IKEA Foundation has granted more than €2 billion to create a better future for children and their families. In 2021 the Board of the IKEA Foundation decided to make an additional €1 billion available over the next five years to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.