The Uganda Atlas

NEMA 2008

NEMA 2007

NEMA 2008

NEMA 2005

Heavy rains in a Kampala surbub (December 2008) cause traffic jams, filth, diseases and incoveniences to road users and commercial establishments. Inset: L-R: Floods in Bwaise-Kalerwe, Kampala (2007); women and children struggle to cross flooded Aswa river in northern Uganda; floods in Kyambogo, Kampala (2005)

Sunshine is an important environmental resource usually taken for granted in the country. Recently, through successful technological applications, solar energy has proved to be an important source of energy and is progressively being exploited by many to meet their energy needs. Likewise, because of its equatorial position, high rainfall, and numerous lakes, the relative humidity is high in most parts of the country throughout the year especially in the southern and central parts of Uganda. There are, however, spatial and temporal variations in humidity which are largely a reflection of rainfall and temperature variations.

Uganda experiences low wind speeds due to the lack of long wind-fetch environmental conditions such as expanses of flat lands and water bodies. The location of the country in the continental interior and the highly contrasting local relief features obstruct the development of high wind speeds. Consequently, the potential for development of wind-based energy in the country is limited, though still a possibility. Although windspeeds of as low as 3m/sec can be used to generate energy for pumping water, utilisation of wind for energy generation involves initial high investment costs. However, this is a feasible innovation in irrigation and livestock agriculture and ideally suited for dry land areas such as Karamoja region and the rest of the cattle corridor.

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