According to the United Nations’ blog on climate action, renewable energy is energy derived from natural sources that are replenished at a higher rate than consumed. Ideally, renewable energy never runs out and its sources naturally replenish themselves. There are various forms of renewable energy all around us. Some of the most common forms of this are solar, wind, hydro, biomass and geothermal. We as NLS are in the business of protecting our environment as much as we can. There is renewable energy that can be created from waste material, however, we will get into this later. For now, we would like to educate you on the importance of renewable energy and why we should lean towards it. 

In Uganda, it is no mystery that we consume a lot of non-renewable energy. These are in form of fossil fuels like charcoal and oil and gas. Though cheaper, when burned to produce energy, they cause harmful greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide that discount them as renewable energy. Generating renewable energy creates far lower emissions and thus making them very advantageous to climate change. 

TYPES OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES. 

1. Hydropower

This particular source is not new to any Ugandan’s ear. Hydropower is formed by exploiting the power of moving water. It need not necessarily be falling water but rather just moving water. Hydropower is the world’s largest form of renewable energy by far, with Uganda alone exporting its power to Kenya, Tanzania and parts of DR Congo. It relies on generally stable rainfall patterns and can be negatively impacted by climate-induced droughts or changes to ecosystems which impact rainfall patterns.

2. Solar energy

You might have already caught on to the trend that is solar energy. With the constant load shedding that comes from UMEME, solar power sounds like a great alternative to the National power supply that is highly unreliable. In a survey conducted by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, it was indicated that solar energy connections increased from 18 per cent in 2017 to 38% compared to a drop in hydro and grid connections during the same period. 

3. Biomass energy

Biomass is any material that comes from plants or microorganisms that were recently living. Biomass energy includes biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel, wood and wood waste, biogas from landfills, and municipal solid waste. Many of these gasses are used for cooking and lighting. 

4. Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy is the heat produced deep in the Earth’s core. Geothermal energy is a clean, renewable resource that can be harnessed for use as heat and electricity.

ADVANTAGES OF RENEWABLE ENERGY

1.  The first benefit of renewable energy is hard to deny, a cleaner environment. One of the highest threats our environment is facing is pollution with water and air pollution taking up first place. Most of the negative health impacts that we face are also caused by these two threats. Renewable energy technologies did produce the kind of fumes and toxins that would drastically affect our environment. Wind, solar, and hydroelectric systems generate electricity with no associated air pollution emissions. Biomass and Geothermal system produce slight air emissions that are much lower and have a lower effect on the environment. 

2. The disadvantage of most energy forms is that they can be fully exhausted. Renewable energy on the other hand is inexhaustible no matter how much they are used. Strong winds, sunny skies, abundant plant matter, heat from the earth, and fast-moving water can each provide a vast and constantly replenished supply of energy.

3. Everyone is looking for the next job opportunity and renewable energy seems to be lucrative enough to sustain. The renewable energy industry is more labour-intensive. Solar panels need humans to install them; wind farms need technicians for maintenance.

“Energy is essential for development, and sustainable energy is essential for sustainable development.”

–Tim Wirth