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Hima Cement achieves 50% biomass fuel use
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Hima Cement has announced that over 50% of its fuel for cement production now comes from renewable biomass — a bold shift from fossil-heavy inputs like Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO).
“Five and a half sums of energy now replace the HFO we used to rely on. We have been big on biomass,” said David Mugagga, Hima Cement’s Head of Regulatory Affairs while speaking during a panel at the ongoing Uganda Chamber of Energy and Minerals (UCEM) Energy Convention in Kampala.
Mugagga said this is a major milestone in Uganda’s industrial decarbonization efforts, and attributed the success to an integrated sustainability model that places local communities and circular energy systems at the heart of industrial operations.
He explained that, “We think about coffee husks, palm kernels, rice husks, sawdust — all that biomass is sourced by our department and used to fire our kilns.”
Contractors and government bodies have been using Hima Cement for major infrastructure projects such as Mandela National Stadium, Entebbe Expressway and Karuma Dam among others.
Mugagga explained that Hima Cement’s energy model is both community-centered and sustainability-driven.
“In 2016, we gave out over 10 million coffee seedlings to farmers so they could grow coffee for income and we could later use the husks to power our plant. That’s an example of how deeply we care about our communities.”
The company’s dedicated biomass and co-processing department is tasked with sourcing and managing alternative fuels to reduce dependence on HFO.
In addition to agricultural waste, the team partners with like-minded companies to collect non-hazardous waste that would otherwise go to landfills — transforming it into valuable industrial energy.
“We are licensed to use industrial waste as fuel. This is not just about energy; it’s about aligning with companies that care about ESG goals, that want to reduce their carbon footprint,” Mugagga said.
A Broader Industrial Vision
As a subsidiary of the Sarrai Group, Hima Cement also draws strength from its regional integration.
Mugagga cited the group’s SM Hydro project, a renewable power producer that contributes electricity to the national grid, as part of the broader vision to power East African industries sustainably.
“Our diversity has been our strength. Whether it’s hydroelectric power or biomass, we benchmark and support one another within the group,” he added.
This holistic energy model, Mugagga said, answers a critical question: “Has the cement that built your home or office block been produced responsibly?”
State Minister for Energy Hon. Sidronious Okaasai Opolot, who also addressed the convention, underscored the importance of such transitions as Uganda implements its Energy Transition Plan — launched at COP28 — to balance fossil fuel use with rapid adoption of renewables like solar, hydro, and geothermal.
Climate change and global investment trends compel us to reimagine our energy systems. Uganda is rising to this challenge,” said Okaasai.
Innovation
While welcoming recent policy shifts — including the sixth phase of Uganda’s Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff (REFiT) and new allowances for large manufacturers to negotiate direct Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) — Mugagga called for the creation of an “energy regulatory sandbox.”
Such a sandbox, he argued, would allow safe, supervised experimentation with innovative renewable energy models, much like the Bank of Uganda’s fintech sandbox introduced in 2021.
“At Hima Cement, we think about the three Cs: the Customer, the Community, and the Country. That’s our mindset — and that’s why we need a regulatory framework that rewards innovation, accelerates approvals, and allows us to co-create solutions,” Mugagga said.
Quoting advice from his grandfather during a chess game, he concluded: “Don’t settle for a good move, find a great one.”
The UCEM Energy Convention brought together policymakers, private sector leaders, researchers, and investors to chart a future of affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy for Uganda’s industrial transformation.
