Assessing the factors limiting the large scale use of solar power in Kabweri county.

Abstract

Solar Energy is the energy from the Sun. The Sun is a big ball of heat and light resulting from nuclear fusion at its core. In each day, the sun so called the biggest star in solar system radiates about 10,000 to 15,000 times more energy to the planet earth than we can all collectively use (Msafiri, 2009). Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either directly or using Photovoltaic panels which is a method of generating electricity by converting the suns radiation into direct current electricity using semi-conductors. Uganda envisions transforming itself into a newly-industrializing, middle-income country by 2040, with a globally competitive and prosperous economy and high quality of life in a clean and secure environment. To achieve this vision, energy is identified as one of the foundations and catalyst of the socio-economic transformation envisaged in the country. This objective of this study is to assess the extent to which the level of knowledge and awareness of solar technology influences adoption of domestic solar technology to investigate the extent to which the level of income of households influences adoption and finally to which extent the availability of alternative power source influence adoption and large scale use of solar energy in Kabweri county. The study employed descriptive survey design and a stratified random sampling was used to identify a sample and data was collected using questionnaires and structured interview schedules. A sample of 400 households was studied from a target population of 6050 households; only 350 household heads responded which represented 87.5% of the sample population. The findings indicate that the community has not adopted much to solar technology with only 8.6% using solar in the area.