"horizont3000’s Solar Pledge East Africa (SPEA) initiative project is an example of how religious institutions can be at the forefront of sustainable energy deployment"
Renewable energy is central to achieving the goals of Laudato Si and the Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7) which emphasizes affordable and clean energy access and use by all. Running thousands of schools and hundreds of health facilities, the catholic church is the second largest provider of basic renewable energy services in Uganda and Kenya. More than 750 of these health facilities and more than 12,000 of these schools are supported with clean and renewable energy solutions through the catholic church.
The already established solar solutions are helping the churches to be better environmental stewards and to run projects supporting marginalized and vulnerable communities. Moreover, they allow the churches to enhance the implementation of government policies on increasing the number of people accessing renewable energy. Lastly, the churches save a lot on expenses meant to be used for purchasing electricity as the existing solar solutions bring bills to even zero.
Religious leaders in addition actively promote clean energy adoption through sermons during worship and community gatherings by raising awareness about the benefits of renewable energy as a moral imperative to protect creation.
"Duty bearers need to identify and prioritize innovative financing mechanisms to make renewable energy and clean cooking solutions accessible and affordable to all citizens."
From 31st October to 2nd November 2024, horizont3000 participated in the Renewable Energy Conference & Expo held at Munyono Resort hotel Kampala-Uganda under the theme “Transforming Livelihoods Through Clean Energy Access”. The conference was organized by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and officially opened by Hon. Dr. Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu, the current Cabinet Minister for Energy. She appreciated the organizers of the event and went ahead to highlight that Uganda's government plays a pivotal role in advancing clean energy policies and investments by creating enabling frameworks, fostering public-private partnerships, and collaborating with development partners to mobilize resources and technical expertise..
The three days conference provided a platform for Renewable Energy players to exhibit, exchange ideas and advocate for better and new approaches to clean and renewable energy bringing together experts from government ministries, departments and agencies, private sector players, development partners and non-governmental organizations among others. Some of the innovations exhibited included; improved cookstoves, wind and geothermal power plants, electrical cars and motorbikes among others.
A lot was learnt and the most important aspect is that duty bearers need to identify and prioritize innovative financing mechanisms to make renewable energy and clean cooking solutions accessible and affordable to all citizens. Similarly, there is need for governments in East Africa to align their renewable energy initiatives with national policies and frameworks at local, national and regional level. Religious leaders present committed to continue advocating for adoption of renewable energy solutions and strengthening strategic relationships to advance the renewable energy agenda in Uganda and beyond.
horizont3000’s Solar Pledge East Africa (SPEA) initiative project is an example of how religious institutions can be at the forefront of sustainable energy deployment, particularly in the regions where energy access is limited. SPEA builds the dioceses’ human and institutional capacity to analyze their own energy needs and to comprehensively coordinate solar and other renewable energy interventions.
At the conference, The SPEA project team at horizont3000 was represented by Linda Babirye-Project Manager SPEA and Cornelia Zupp-Advisor while the SPEA partner Organisation Caritas Gulu Archdiocese was represented by John Bosco Aludi. Mr. Aludi was a panelist among other religious leaders on the topic “Tapping into the Religious Voices in the clean Energy Deployment Discourse.” He highlighted that the churches need to be prioritized in the energy transition to achieve transformed livelihoods.
With support from horizont3000 and her donor organizations, the dioceses we are working with in Uganda and Kenya will continue to raise awareness on climate action and sustainable energy transition to continue growing the renewable energy agenda.
Compiled by Linda Babirye - Project Manager Solar Pledge Project East Africa (SPEA)