Uganda has commissioned a study on energy that can be generated from crops, garbage, and manure crops as the country attempts to find long lasting solutions to its energy deficit and errant power outages.

The study: Balancing Biofuels and Food Security, was unveiled yesterday in Kampala by Novi Energy - a United States-based firm that offers renewable energy and consultancy solutions to governments and businesses in the world.

The research, which will be carried out for the next nine-12 months, is expected to find answers to a number of questions related to the biomass and biogas energy potentials taking care of the food security question, according to Eng. Godfrey Ndawula, the assistant commissioner for new and renewable sources of energy at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development in Uganda.

The study will seek to find suitable energy crops that should be used as feed stock for production of energy, where they should be grown, legislation and licensing regimes, as well as the social-economic benefits to Ugandans who will grow the crops.

Mr Ndawula said the purpose is to make use of the available local energy resources like crops, manure and waste to produce efficient and green energy.

"We are looking at efficiency and less emissions into the environment. We are looking at bio-fuels and all the various technologies that will enhance efficiency," said Mr Ndawula during the launch yesterday.

He added that relying on local resources for energy, will enhance energy security and prevent the country from running into a crises like the fuel shortage that hit the country during the post-election violence in Kenya last year.

According to Novi Energy president Mr Anand Gangadharan, once the study is successful, the plan is to establish a number of renewable energy plants costing between Shs16 billion and Shs19 billion to generate energy for the country. The numerous power plants will generate between 2 to 3 mega watts of cost effective energy to supplement the current unreliable and expensive energy supply in the country.

Uganda currently depends on energy produced by thermal generators, and the hydro-electricity power generated at the Nalubaale Power Dam in Jinja.

This is in addition to a combination of between 5-15 megawatts that are generated by companies like Kakira Sugar Works and Kasese Cobalt company. However, a new 250 MW hydro power dam at Bujagali Energy Project is under construction on the River Nile in Jinja to help ease the energy shortage that has hit the country since 2006.