Solar energy is a more affordable option for Ugandans

The Daily Monitor Newspaper in Uganda recently ran a story about 112-year-old Mzee John Oitamong, to whom a solar power kit worth Shs800,000 was donated by Village Power a non-government organisation. I would like to express gratitude to the Daily monitor and Village power for lighting up this old man’s life with solar power which is a clean and sustainable energy source.

Solar power, while not considered an option among high-intensity electricity consuming rich- households, does meet the immediate needs of low-income rural households and small businesses. Such a solar power kit is enough for a couple of lights and opens business opportunities which can transform lives while providing a cleaner alternative to the widely used conventional lighting methods, such as kerosene lamps.

Kerosene lamps are widely used for lighting in rural areas. Yet using kerosene for lighting is extremely inefficient, dangerous and expensive, and it has extensive health and environmental drawbacks. The World Bank estimates that inhaling kerosene fumes is the equivalent of smoking two packets of cigarettes a day. A number of NGOs such as Village Power are committed to eradicating the use of kerosene lamps by introducing solar power to rural households.

Indeed Uganda’s solar energy resource has the potential to provide off-grid electricity for the current 5 per cent in Ugandan villages who remain without access to power. It has become increasingly clear that hydro-power, as a dominant source of power, remains expensive for these rural poor.

Solar is a one-time investment for the consumer- unlike hydro which comes with regular power bills. They face daily worries like food and education costs. Many of them can barely afford housing, even in urban areas where there is more access to electricity.A one-time investment in solar energy would rid them of the daily worry of energy bills and leave moredisposable income that can be used for other necessities to improve quality of life. While the recurring argument is usually that solar energy systems are expensive, the common person would be able to afford it if it is subsidised and if the government and civil society makes an effort to publicise the benefits of solar energy.

http://www.monitor.co.ug/OpEd/Commentary/Solar-energy-is-a-more-affordable-option/-/689364/2334098/-/u6x64vz/-/index.html
Diana Taremwa Karakire
# Renewable energy in Uganda