A GIS approach to estimate the bioenergy potential in Uganda

Affordable and reliable electricity can provide a mean to reduce poverty, improve health care and decrease local pollution. Nevertheless, about 950 million people living in Africa and developing Asia did not have access to electricity in 2016. Renewable sources pose as keys for the implementation of smaller and adjustable power systems, especially in developing countries, since they require lower investment. Furthermore, biomass has the advantage of being widely available and its use for power generation can be scheduled, which makes it a suitable alternative to traditional fuels. Despite the strategies put in place by the Ugandan government, the country still has an electrification rate of only 10% and most of its population lives in rural areas, without any access to the electric grid. Agriculture remains the main sector, even though Uganda faces large problems regarding food security. There is a strong need to evaluate and map the country's resources, to identify opportunities for small-scale off-grid generation without compromising food production. In this study, the electricity generation potential of selected crops was evaluated and mapped. Parts of Jatropha Curcas, Maize, Oil Palm and Sugarcane were considered in the analysis. This approach ensured that the crops could be used for other uses, such as food or ethanol production. Food security was also taken into consideration by disregarding the areas currently used to produce the main staple crops of the country. Four technologies were analysed – combustion, gasification, pyrolysis and anaerobic digestion – and different engines were also included for each technology. The results obtained show that combustion and gasification are the most promising technologies in terms of electricity generation potential, due to their maturity level and straightforward approach. In addition, it was possible to conclude that using the silage obtained from a hectare of cultivated maize in an anaerobic digestion facility with a gas engine, enough electricity for 39 people could be generated. This result strengthens the idea that biomass is a suitable alternative to fossil fuels since the population density in most of the country is 0.03 people per hectare