Uganda Energy Credit Capitalisation Company Launches the Prospect Digital Platform to Energy Service Companies

On Monday 13th May 2024, Uganda Energy Credit Capitalisation Company (UECCC) invited Energy Service companies operating within the solar space for a consultative/training workshop on the Results Based Financing (RBF) programme under the Electricity Access Scaleup Project (EASP). The main objective of the workshop was to engage the shortlisted ESCOs on the expectations of the RBF Program and to specifically introduce to them the Prospect Digital Platform that will be utilized to automatically collect, aggregate, analyse and display data from the ESCOs as the sales to beneficiaries take place. The Results Based Financing program is one out of the four programmes being implemented by UECCC under the Financial Intermediation component of the Electricity Access Scaleup Project. The program will provide Grants, price subsidies or price cuts through shortlisted Energy Service Companies aimed at addressing the upfront affordability barriers associated with the purchase of clean technologies for lighting, clean cooking solutions and productive uses of energy. Ugandans will be able to access the discounted products at the counters of the Energy Service companies with branch networks and agents spread throughout the Country. The Program will also provide higher incentives on a per unit sold basis to ESCOs which register discounted sales in underserved and remote rural areas of Uganda. The delivered price cuts /price subsidies will be refunded by UECCC to the ESCOs after an independent verification has been done by a reputable audit firm confirming that sales have taken place. The entire process is designed to ensure transparency and accountability.

The UECCC Managing Director, Mr Roy Nyamutale Baguma gave introductory remarks at the official opening of the workshop and mentioned that UECCC conceptualised the use of a digital platform and obtained support from the World Bank. As a result UECCC entered into an agreement with A2EI of Germany to provide a digital platform (Prospect Digital Platform) that will enhance real time or near to real time information about the sales being closed by the shortlisted Energy Service Companies across the Country. The digital platform will enable the companies to upload sales to beneficiaries as the selling of eligible technologies takes place. The IT platform will also facilitate quick verification by the independent verification agent. Mr Samuel Ocanya the Project Manager for the EASP asked the ESCOs to fully engage and understand the workings of the digital platform. ESCOs will be required to connect to the digital platform in order to onboard discounted sales details to facilitate timely verification of their submitted claims. Mr Mwaka Agoba the Programme Manager-Results Based Financing & Clean Cooking advised that the RBF sales are expected to begin in July 2024 after the ESCOs have signed their grant agreements with UECCC and that the company will contribute towards the market sensitization and awareness creation to support their sales efforts.

The workshop was attended by over 50 shortlisted ESCOs and the 3 day engagement period was highly interactive. One of the participants, Retired Honorable David Ebong the CEO of Clean Energy Partnership Africa, reiterated that the platform would be great for the transparency of the program. “The platform that has been created is user-friendly and makes it easier to capture data and generate reports. All ESCOs also have full visibility of the data they have captured, everything is done in the open”. The expected outcomes of the Program will include increased use of clean energy for lighting, cooking and productive uses such as water pumping, irrigation, refrigeration and cooling, water heating and grain milling; thus, eliminating negative environmental impacts such as Green gas emissions, deforestation and poor health conditions associated with the use of traditional lighting and three stone cooking, and other open fire cooking methods. The Project provides an opportunity for ESCOs to partner with Government through UECCC to do business in an environmentally friendly manner. Protecting the environment is everyone’s responsibility. The Electricity Access Scaleup project is about access to clean energy and clean energy is synonymous with protecting the environment.