Promotion of hybrid renewable energy systems toward electricity access in Uganda

The purpose of the proposed project is to strengthening scientific cooperation between the partners and capacities in Renewable Energy studies to address future challenges to enhance engineering students' practical skills in renewable energy sources in Uganda and establish a network between the Academic Partnerships. The key objectives of the partnership are: 1. Developing specific modules on hybrid renewable energy systems and energy entrepreneurship and innovations to support the existing master curricula within the school of Engineering at Makerere University. 2. Developing Makerspaces for hybrid renewable energy systems for research and teaching at Makerere University. 3. Establishing a training program on different sustainable energy system solutions and technologies aimed to improve the practical skills of engineers working in local organizations involved in the sector of energy systems design and construction in Uganda. 4. Incorporation of local and national societal structures, especially the gender-relevant aspects of responsibility for energy issues, for the implementation of the project. 5. Building a network between the partner institutions as well as related institutions. At BOKU, there has been excellent experience with maker-type organized practical courses where students create their own projects in renewable energy technologies since 2013. The partnership will allow students at Makerere to access hybrid renewable energy systems related to software tools such as “Ecogas”, which was developed at BOKU, Vienna. The collaborative approach will not only contribute to achieving the UN sustainable development goals (5, 7 and 17) but also contribute to improving applied scientific research and studies in Uganda and to the national development plan III, in a particular sustainable energy development program that aims to increase access and consumption of clean and modern energy.