Vol. 1 No. 1 (2025)
A Case Study of Renewable Energy Potential and Climate Resilience in Uganda,
Abstract
This study presents a critical assessment of Uganda’s renewable energy potential as a strategic pathway for enhancing national climate resilience. Uganda’s energy sector, heavily reliant on hydropower, is acutely vulnerable to climate variability, while access and reliability remain pressing concerns. Synthesising existing literature, this research identifies a gap in integrated, spatially explicit analyses that link resource potential with policy and socio-economic barriers to resilient energy systems. To address this, the study employs a mixed-methods design. Geospatial analysis, using satellite-derived data and GIS tools, quantifies Uganda’s solar and biomass potential from 2021–2026. This is integrated with qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with sector stakeholders and a policy analysis framework evaluating alignment with national adaptation plans. Climate resilience is explicitly measured through indicators of energy access reliability and diversification from hydropower. Findings confirm substantial, underutilised solar and biomass resources. The analysis demonstrates that strategic investment in decentralised solar photovoltaic systems could significantly improve energy access and reliability for vulnerable communities, thereby strengthening adaptive capacity. However, critical barriers—including financing gaps, regulatory inconsistencies, and infrastructural limitations—persist. This Ugandan-centred analysis concludes that a diversified renewable energy portfolio is a foundational pillar for climate-resilient development, necessitating the explicit integration of energy planning with national adaptation priorities.
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