Current Trends in Wind Energy Development in Uganda: A Comprehensive Review

Uganda faces a severe energy deficit, with only 25.3% of its population having access to the national grid, making biomass dominate the energy mix. Wind energy presents a viable renewable option, given the estimated potential of 1,000 MW in the northeast and east regions. However, harnessing this potential into actual on-ground capacity has remained stalemated. This review synthesizes what is known of Uganda's wind energy landscape with a view to identifying why the progress stalled and charts a clear way forward. We analyzed the country’s wind resource availability, compared global technology trends with local applicability, and examined the policy structure and institutional setup in place. Importantly, the paper provides an integrated analysis of historical project case studies: the canceled Rupa and Tororo efforts, the unsuccessful Karamoja wind-driven water-pumping initiative, and the slow-moving 120 MW Karamoja wind farm to pull out across-the-board lessons. The findings reveal that development is hindered by a cyclic barrier: developers are discouraged by a lack of bankable and site-specific wind data, while a lack of investment prevents such data from being collected. Projects also fail when business models neglect operations, maintenance, and community involvement. In conclusion, unlocking Uganda's wind potential requires a twin-track approach: 1) targeted public funding for detailed wind mapping to de-risk private capital, and 2) making projects commercially viable and engaging local communities. This review provides policymakers, developers, and researchers with solid evidence to inform Uganda's sustainable energy transition.