Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Food Processing

Earth Partners studied how food processors in Nigeria and Uganda use energy, and built the case for cleaner, cheaper power.

Key Facts

• Food processing in Nigeria and Uganda relied heavily on fossil fuels, which drove up operating costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

• Energy was often wasted through inefficient equipment and processes, and many processors had no formal energy management system in place.

• Solar, hybrid systems and bioenergy were viable alternatives, but cost, financing and policy barriers slowed their adoption.

• Reliable, affordable energy was central to food security, since processing kept food safe, stored and on the market.

Focus on Energy Efficiency and Clean Technology

The project looked at two things together: using less energy, and switching to better sources. We measured how much energy processors used per unit of product, found where it was lost, and assessed solar PV, hybrid systems and biogas as replacements for diesel and grid power.

Why Nigeria and Uganda?

Both countries had food processing sectors that were growing and energy-hungry, and both faced high energy costs and fossil fuel dependence. Studying them side by side allowed us to compare practices, policies and costs, and produce lessons that could be applied across the region.

Alignment with Broader Goals

The project was commissioned by Partners in Food Solutions (PFS), with SNV and GAIN. It supported their shared aim of stronger, more sustainable food systems, and built on existing work such as Uganda’s IMEU energy audits.

A Practical Approach

We combined a sector-wide online survey with on-site energy audits at selected facilities. The findings fed into cost-benefit models and financing options, so processors received recommendations they could act on, not just analysis.

Key Project Objectives

• Understand energy use: Benchmarked consumption across food processing subsectors and identified inefficiencies.

• Identify opportunities: Highlighted efficiency improvements and renewable energy options, ranked by short, medium and long-term impact.

• Make the business case: Assessed technical and financial feasibility, including payback and cost of energy.

• Enable adoption: Proposed financing models such as Energy-as-a-Service, Power Purchase Agreements and lease-to-own, along with policy recommendations.

Focus Areas

Energy audits and surveys of food processors, efficiency upgrades, solar and hybrid systems, bioenergy, energy management systems, and financing and policy support.

Project Rollout

After kick-off and inception, the team moved through literature review, survey and on-site audits, then feasibility and cost-benefit analysis, ending with a comprehensive report and strategic roadmap with action plans by food type.