GRIPS Energy, the German renewable energy company and its subsidiary in Kampala, GRIPS Energy Uganda Ltd., are proud to announce the inauguration of two photovoltaic plants for tea production in Igara and Buhweju.

In the southwestern region of Uganda, GRIPS Energy and Igara Growers Tea Factory Ltd. celebrated the successful completion of these projects, joined by honourable guests from business and government sectors. The 499 kWp and 425 kWp ground-mounted solar plants are a vital step for the pooled 7,000 smallholder tea farmers on their journey to reduce their electricity costs and carbon footprint.

"We partnered with GRIPS Energy because we could not have managed the investment cost for these plants ourselves," says Engineer Zaali, Factories Engineer. "They have handled 100% of finance and construction and they are now looking after system maintenance." He continued, "we look forward to our continued partnership with GRIPS Energy, because we hope to expand our factories, and GRIPS will help us to install more green energy".

Andrew Kasule, Sales Manager of GRIPS Energy Uganda, confirms: "Our approach of teaming up with our customer Igara Growers Tea Factory, our Ugandan installation partner and the engineering experts from our German head office to form a tripartite, close-knit project team right from the start has once again proved its worth. As their long-term partner, we will stay by the side of Igara Tea Growers and warrant for full performance, service and maintenance throughout the 20-year contract for both solar plants."

In line with the company's one-stop-shop full-service offer, GRIPS was in charge of every detail of the project: from initial feasibility studies and customized plant design, to financing, installation and commissioning. Now that the plants are up and running, GRIPS is responsible for the operations and maintenance of the plants through a local engineering partner. "We are thrilled to support the economic growth and energy stability for Ugandan tea producers through these two solar projects. By reducing their energy costs, we not only support the company's profitability, but also enhance power reliability and uninterrupted operations. It's inspiring to see their commitment to renewable energy and sustainable development," says Timon Herzog, Managing Director of GRIPS Energy.

Igara Growers Tea Factory Ltd. owns and operates two tea processing factories: Igara Tea Factory and Buhweju Tea Factory. These two factories are fully owned by 7,000 smallholder tea farmers. They contribute 10% of Uganda's total tea production from 28 tea factories in the country and are the largest smallholder tea factory company in Uganda.

GRIPS Energy supports companies in African countries in transitioning to affordable renewable energy through fully financed, custom-designed power systems. As a renewable energy investor and contractor, GRIPS provides reliable, pre-financed solutions that lower energy costs, ensure stable power, and reduce CO₂ emissions. Partnering with local EPCs, GRIPS oversees every project phase and manages ongoing operations and maintenance, allowing customers to focus on growth while GRIPS secures their energy needs.

www.grips-energy.com

The RES Uganda project supports GRIPS Energy in implementing communication and marketing activities in East Africa. This project is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action as part of the Renewable Energy Solutions Programme of the German Energy Solutions Initiative.

German Energy Agency (dena)

The German Energy Agency (dena) is a centre of excellence for the applied energy transition and climate protection. dena studies the challenges of building a climate-neutral society and supports the German government in achieving its energy and climate policy objectives. Since its foundation in 2000, dena has worked to develop and implement solutions and bring together national and international partners from politics, industry, the scientific community and all parts of society. dena is a project enterprise and a public company owned by the German federal government. dena's shareholder is the Federal Republic of Germany. www.dena.de

German Energy Solutions Initiative

With the aim of positioning German technologies and know-how worldwide, the German Energy Solutions Initiative of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Action (BMWK) supports suppliers of climate-friendly energy solutions in opening up foreign markets. The focus lies on renewable energies, energy efficiency, smart grids and storage, as well as technologies such as power-to-gas and fuel cells. Aimed in particular at small and medium-sized enterprises, the German Energy Solutions Initiative supports participants through measures to prepare market entry as well as to prospect, develop and secure new markets. www.german-energy-solutions.de/GES/Navigation/EN/Home/home.html

Renewable Energy Solutions Programme (RES Programme)

With the RES programme, the Energy Export Initiative of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Action (BMWK) helps German companies in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors enter new markets. Within the framework of the programme, reference plants are installed and marketed with the support of the German Energy Agency (dena). Information and training activities help ensure a sustainable market entry and demonstrate the quality of climate-friendly technologies made in Germany. https://www.german-energy-solutions.de/GES/Redaktion/EN/Basepages/Services/dena-res.html