PROJECTS:
Since its inception in 2009 GRS Commodities Ltd has implemented the following projects towards the promotion of renewable energy use for rural areas in Uganda:
• Flower Power Project
2009 – 2010; this project involved assessment of waste to energy conversion of biomass on 9 selected commercial floriculture farms in Uganda. The project was in partnership with Uganda Flower Exporters’ Association and Wageningen University & Research Center - The Netherlands. The farms include; Rosebud Ltd, MS Wagagai, Fiduga Ltd, Mellisa Flowers, Ugarose, Royal van Zanten, Exclusive Cuttings, Aurum Roses and Mairye Estates.
• Water Hyacinth Biogas Project:
2011 – 2013; GRS Commodities Ltd implemented a 12kW biogas system that converted water hyacinth collected on Lake Victoria shoreline and animal manure from selected animal farmers in Kalangala District into biogas for electricity generation. This project was implemented in partnership with FACT Foundationand Wageningen University StartLife Foundation, The Netherlands. The electricity produced was used for powering agro processing plants.
• Biomass Gasification Project:
2013 – 2014; This project was an initiative of GRS Commodities Ltd and The Royal Norwegian Society – Norges Vel under their program “Sustainable Renewable Energy Businesses in Uganda”. The project is also supported by Makerere Renewable Energy Incubator. Gasification is a simple environmental technology that converts organic dry biomass into a mixture of combustible gases under controlled burning. The gases are known as syngas which is used as fuel to power a generator that produces electricity. Rice husks and maize cobs are collected from and used as the primary feedstock for the acquired gasification plant to produce electricity. The project was located in Buligo village, Ssese islands, Lake Victoria in Uganda. Ssese islands have no access to mainland infrastructure including electricity. The electricity produced was used to power a rice processing mill in Buligo village which local farmers access to process their raw maize into high value grain.
• Kitobo Island Solar Mini Grid pilot Project:
2015 – 2016; GRS Commodities Ltd implemented an 8kW solar PV mini grid pilot plant in Kitobo village. This project was a result of a partnership between GRS Commodities Ltd and New Sun Road, a California based public benefit company involved in the development of renewable energy systems. Ssese islands that produces clean renewable energy for solar PV for households and small businesses in Kitobo. The project helped residents of Kitobo Island to reduce on the dependence of expensive and unreliable diesel powered electricity by providing 24 hour stable and reliable prepaid solar power.
• Ssese Islands Solar Mini Grid Project
2016; This project is a partnership between GRS Commodities Ltd United States African Development Foundation under the Power Africa US Presidential Initiative. The project aims to implement additional 25kW solar PV mini-grid generation capacity to produce and supply prepaid solar metered electricity to approximately 100 households in a remote village in Ssese Islands, Lake Victoria. https://ug.usembassy.gov/u-s-african-development-foundation-awards-300000-to-three-ugandan-renewable-energy-enterprises/
P.O.Box 4665 Kampala
PH: +245-780-245-603
Email: andrew@grscommodities.com
Website: www.grscommodities.com
GRS Commodities Ltd was incepted in May 2009 as a spin off from Wageningen University and Research Center in The Netherlands. The company was co-founded by Andrew Ssentongo after graduating with the MSc. European Food & Agribusiness (commercial bio-energy value chains) at The Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester, England and Wageningen University and Research Centre, The Netherlands.