Inclusive Markets for Energy Efficiency in Uganda 2021-2025

In Year 3 (July 2023 to June 2024), IMEU registered significant progress as below in the three key areas: Strengthening Supply of EE Products and Services Towards this objective, 10 financial institutions (FIs) received capacity building training on EE investment opportunities and potentials. The 10 FIs have also developed a roadmap for integrating EE into their financial products. The project reports support to 13 Energy Service Provider Companies (ESPs) benefiting from a result-based financing (RBF) fund. It was noted that during this reporting period, the project team visited grantees to monitor activities undertaken. The team as well provided business development support. These activities resulted in designing and implementing tailored technical assistance in data collection, reporting, marketing, and e-waste management. Increasing Demand for EE Products and Services It was reported that 16,360 households, 86 social institutions, and 113 businesses have adopted EE technologies. The project team is ambitious that the set life targets will be achieved by the end of the project. Strengthening Knowledge, Coordination, and Policy Environment Several activities were carried out in relation to his goal. With IMEU support, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD) established the Energy Efficiency Accelerator Network (EEAN) to coordinate stakeholder engaged in the development and implementation of energy efficiency policies, regulations, practices, financing, and research in Uganda. The EEAN roadmap was developed, and subcommittees appointed. The project also supported the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Bill for Uganda which was approved by the Cabinet and will now be presented to Parliament for the first reading. The project commits to further support MEMD in organising stakeholder meetings for final inputs to the Bill. With IMEU project contribution, energy efficiency has been recognised as a key intervention area in the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV) strategic direction under the Sustainable Energy Development programme area. Makerere University as one the implementing partners with a focus on research, has produced nine knowledge products; these include: 1)A techno-economic analysis of prioritised EE Measures in agriculture and the built environment to provide insights on economic viability, 2)Module materials on EE in agriculture and the build Environment to address knowledge related barriers to the adoption of EE practices, 3)EE cluster approach to reaching more SMEs with knowledge and technology 4)Mobile application for linking farmers and ESCOs, 5)Hybrid dryer for maize drying 6)Hybrid absorption cooling 7) Field based pilot experiments on sustainable buildings 8) Building sustainable framework and 9) A web based energy assessment tool for buildings in Uganda. The developed research products well will be disseminated in YR4.

The overall project objective is "to increase development and adoption of energy efficient products and services in agriculture and built environment to enhance livelihood and increase resilience and competitiveness of businesses in Uganda".  The thematic areas are agriculture (focus on agri-businesses and farmers' cooperatives) and built environment (focus on EE solutions for households and businesses).   To contribute to the achievement of the overall objective, the project aims to be delivered through three workstreams as outlined below:  - Stimulating demand for EE products and services by increasing knowledge-based awareness among energy users. - Supporting SMEs and ESCOs (supplier) to increase access to EE appliances and services to answerto  increasing demand. - Create an enabling environment by reinforcing and extending multi-stakeholder platforms, "Triple Helix approach", to further speed up the development of EE products and services.