UNOC Launches Supply of Liquefied Petroleum Gas

UNOC has launched the supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as it contributes to mitigating climate change and improving accessibility to clean energy solutions.
Uganda Petroleum Institute Kigumba (UPIK) is the beneficiary of the maiden delivery of a two-ton LPG tank as UNOC rolls out a campaign themed LPG; Championing Cleaning Cooking for all.

The institute has up until now relied on wood fuel-firewood-to prepare students’ meals. UPIK routinely used three bags of charcoal daily translating into UGX7M per month, a cost that was likely to double given the increasing student numbers. The use of LPG will minimize the cost and contribute to environment protection. The continued reliance on wood fuel including charcoal has decimated the forest cover, a trend UNOC’s LPG supplies intend to reverse.

Uganda loses 120,000 hectares of forest cover annually and charcoal/firewood are the main contributors to this. LPG has been part of Uganda’s energy landscape for decades, but its potential has remained underutilized as over 90% of Uganda’s population relies on charcoal and firewood for cooking.     
Representing the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD), Eng.  Dr. Geofrey Ogwang asked Ministries-Health and Education to collaborate with MEMD in advocating the adoption of LPG in institutions and households.

CEO UNOC Proscovia Nabbanja stated: “When people talk about transitioning, it is important to ask transitioning from what? At UNOC we see LPG not only as a transitioning fuel but a destination fuel.”

The institute, she added, hitherto spent about sh210,000 daily on charcoal, translating to about UG7M per month. This, she stressed, would not be sustainable in the long run and impacted the environment.

UPIK Principal Bernard Ongodia said that they Principal Bernard Ongodia says they previously about 60-65 bags of charcoal per month. The transition to LPG, he said, would significantly reduce the cost and time associated with using charcoal including creating a healthier working environment for the kitchen staff. END