The USADAF awarded three Ugandan renewable energy enterprises funds for promoting the use of renewable energy. Officials from USADF on March 21 gave out the $300,000 to the three firms following the third round of USADF’s Off-Grid Energy Challenge.
The Off-Grid Energy Challenge is part of Power Africa’s Beyond the Grid initiative.
The three Ugandan winning enterprises are; Green Heat Limited, One Lamp Limited, and GRS Commodities. Green Heat focuses its efforts on helping farmers in the Teso region by installing biogas digesters to pasteurize and chill milk. One Lamp created a mobile phone platform to allow rural households to purchase solar products that are delivered directly to the individuals, while GRS Commodities intends to install 40 kilowatts of solar generation capacity on Ssese Islands in Lake Victoria.
“Each company will receive a grant of $100,000 to support their initiatives in renewable energy. These are the first such grants awarded in Uganda as part of the Off-Grid Energy Challenge and the Power Africa program,” a statement from the US embassy in Kampala read.
US Chargé d’Affaires, Patricia Mahoney, who presided over the awards ceremony, said, “These projects – all local solutions benefitting local communities – are shining examples of how Ugandan entrepreneurs are addressing the pressing needs of their fellow citizens for more access to electricity. The United States is committed to identifying, working with, and supporting the many talented Ugandan entrepreneurs like these companies. We hope initiatives like the Off-Grid Energy Challenge will spur greater investment and generate more ideas to benefit all Ugandans as they develop their country.”