NewzKaruma Hydropower Station: Uganda’s expanding hydropower capacity could provide the renewable electricity needed to produce green hydrogen through electrolysis. As the world develops green hydrogen for industries from steel to aviation, Uganda is seeking to turn its renewable energy advantage into a new engine for industrial growth Kampala, Uganda | IAN KATUSIIME | Governments from Europe to Asia are investing billions of dollars in green hydrogen, betting that the fuel could play a pivotal role in decarbonising industries that batteries alone cannot power. From steel mills and fertiliser plants to shipping and aviation, hydrogen is increasingly viewed as a building block of the global clean energy transition.
Uganda hopes to become part of this emerging industry. At the COP27 climate summit in Egypt in 2022, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development signed a memorandum of understanding with French energy company Hydrogène de France (HDF) to explore the development of the country’s first large-scale green hydrogen production facilities. Green hydrogen is produced by using renewable electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, creating a fuel that produces no carbon dioxide emissions when used.
While HDF no longer has projects under development in Uganda, the agreement marked an important first step in Kampala’s ambition to develop a domestic green hydrogen industry. A bigger milestone came in 2024 when the Ministry of Energy, Industrial Promotion Services (IPS), the infrastructure arm of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development, and Norwegian green energy company Westgass Internasjonal signed a joint development agreement. The $400 million venture is being co-financed through a convertible loan from the Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries (Norfund) and grant funding from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).
The production facility, located in Karuma, Kiryandongo District, will draw 100 megawatts of clean electricity from the Karuma Hydropower Station to produce green hydrogen through electrolysis. The facility aims to manufacture 200,000 tonnes of zero-emission mineral fertilisers annually, reducing Uganda’s reliance on costly fossil fuel-based imports. Energy experts say Uganda’s strong solar and wind potential, combined with its expanding hydropower capacity, could allow it to produce green hydrogen at re…
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