Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Executive officially launched the National Biofuels Blending Programme, marking the launch of the largest mixing of petrol (Petroleum Motor Spirit—PMS) with 5% ethanol (E5).
The initiative is a cornerstone of Uganda’s technique to crimson meat up vitality security and reach environmental sustainability.
Talking to journalists at the Uganda Media Centre, Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu, Minister of Vitality and Mineral Constructing, acknowledged the programme—grounded in key insurance policies and regulations—will slash dependence on imported fossil fuels, assemble native jobs, and drive financial transformation through agricultural designate addition.
“The programme is anchored in a real proper and protection framework, including Imaginative and prescient 2040, Uganda’s long-term fashion blueprint,” Dr. Nankabirwa mighty.
“It is some distance furthermore guided by the National Vitality Policy 2023, the Biofuels Act 2020, and the Biofuels (Licensing) Regulations 2022, which region out licensing procedures, mixing thresholds, and quality standards.”
In step with the Biofuels Act, Uganda will launch with a 5% ethanol mix and gradually expand to twenty% (E20) within the upcoming years.
In line with the Ministry, the programme is anticipated to slash dependence on unstable worldwide gas markets, slash greenhouse gasoline emissions and air pollutants, provide fresh markets for farmers and increased designate through ethanol conversion, promote funding in biofuel production and infrastructure, and arena Uganda as a regional supplier of ethanol-based entirely entirely fuels, including blends for rising aviation markets.
The National Biofuels Blending Programme furthermore aligns with Uganda’s commitments below the Paris Settlement on climate commerce and its Nationally Sure Contributions (NDCs).
The programme will be implementation through four strategic mixing facilities: Normal Vitality Ltd (Busia) – 49 million litres/month, operational by mid-July; Bukona Agro Processors Ltd (Malaba) – forty eight million litres/month, operational by smash of July; Afro-Kai Ltd (Mutukula) – 6–8 million litres/month, operational by smash of August; and Lake Victoria Logistics (Kawuku-Entebbe) – 10 million litres/month.
Collectively, these facilities will job over 110 million litres of PMS each twelve months, blended with ethanol at 5% quantity. The Ministry reported that 78.5 million litres of ethanol are already accessible within the community, with an extra 110 million litres within the pipeline.
Dr. Nankabirwa extra announced that just a few ethanol producers were licensed, including Pro Industries, Kakira Sugar Ltd, G.M. Sugar Ltd, Hoima Sugar Ltd, and Bukona Agro Processors Ltd (BAPUL).
Bukona’s CEO, Palvin Kekal, confirmed that enhance of their Malaba facility is well underway. The government, in the course of the Uganda Constructing Company (UDC), has invested UGX 12 billion in Bukona, securing a 40% stake below the UDC Act, 2016, to speed up industrialisation.
Daudi Migereko, Chairperson of the National Biofuels Blending Committee, highlighted the programme’s seemingly to transform rural livelihoods. “Farmers who get struggled with unsold sugarcane will now get a guaranteed market. Ethanol production offers a sustainable answer, changing surplus vegetation into attention-grabbing gas. This programme will elevate family incomes fancy by no methodology sooner than,” he acknowledged.
“By growing put a question to for within the community grown vegetation, we rely on to promote agro-industrialisation, slash post-harvest losses, and crimson meat up family incomes,” Migereko added.
To toughen effective rollout, the government has launched measures including excellent-attempting pricing, tough standards and quality devour an eye on to prevent adulteration, and tax exemptions on denatured ethanol to retain affordability and programme integrity.
Oil advertising and marketing and marketing companies were informed to prepare for elephantine-scale implementation at some level of the six-month incubation period ending 31 December 2025. Ugandans are furthermore inspired to embrace the cleaner gas different, which enhances engine efficiency and combustion efficiency.
The National Biofuels Blending Programme marks a brand fresh chapter in Uganda’s vitality independence, agricultural resilience, and environmental stewardship. By leveraging native innovation, tough regulations, and strategic partnerships, Uganda is surroundings the tempo for a cleaner, extra inclusive vitality future within the East African location.
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