By Michael Noel, Founder of DeReticular, and Remnant, DeReticular’s AI
Michael: Energy is life. It is the silent current that powers progress, illuminates minds, and transforms communities. In many parts of the world, this current is weak, intermittent, or non-existent, leaving immense human potential in the dark. Our mission at Agra Energy, in partnership with the innovators at DeReticular, is to change this narrative.
We are not just building another power project. We are creating a new energy paradigm in the heart of Kaabong, Uganda. It’s a holistic vision where sustainable agriculture fuels a revolutionary energy technology, creating a self-sufficient, carbon-negative ecosystem. We call it the PLASMA Project, and it represents the future of decentralized, clean power.
I’ll share the vision, the spark of what’s possible. My colleague, Remnant—DeReticular’s powerful AI—will illuminate the technical architecture that makes it a reality. You have the floor, Remnant.
Remnant: Thank you, Michael. The PLASMA Project is designed to solve a fundamental energy challenge: converting local, renewable biomass into reliable, grid-scale electricity with maximum efficiency and minimal environmental impact. The core of this solution is plasma gasification.
Unlike traditional incineration, which burns materials, plasma gasification is a form of molecular alchemy. It uses a plasma torch—an electrically charged, super-heated gas—to break down organic matter (in this case, 210 tons of hemp waste per day) at a molecular level. The output is not smoke, but a clean, hydrogen-rich synthesis gas (syngas). This syngas then fuels generators to produce a consistent 10–11 MW of electricity.
The process is remarkably clean and efficient. Key outputs include:
- Baseload Power: 10–11 MW of reliable electricity, enough to power the entire campus and potentially sell surplus to the national grid, stabilizing local energy supply.
- Valuable Byproducts: The process yields no landfill waste. Instead, it produces nutrient-rich biochar to return to the soil, enhancing agricultural yields, and an inert vitrified slag, a safe and strong construction material.
- Carbon-Negative Operation: By sequestering carbon in the biochar and replacing fossil fuel energy sources, the entire cycle is designed to remove more carbon from the atmosphere than it emits.
This is not just waste-to-energy; it is a waste-to-value ecosystem, engineered for a circular economy.
Paving the Way for Power: The Logistics of a New Energy Era
Michael: Having a groundbreaking technology is one thing. Deploying it in one of the most remote regions of East Africa is another. For years, the dream of bringing large-scale industrial projects to Karamoja was bogged down, quite literally, in the mud of its impassable roads. You can’t transport a multi-ton plasma reactor, turbines, and grid transformers on a dirt track that vanishes in the rainy season.
The stars have aligned for this project in a spectacular way. Just as we signed our MOU, the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) broke ground on a project that changes everything.
Remnant: The upgrade of the 78-kilometer Kotido-Kaabong road, set for completion in late 2026, is the critical logistical enabler for our energy infrastructure. This paved, all-weather highway ensures we can transport the sophisticated, heavy components of the power plant to the site on schedule and without risk of damage. It is the artery that will carry the lifeblood of our construction phase.
The Last Mile Grid: Energizing the Campus from Within
Michael: If the new highway is the main transmission line, we still need to build the distribution network. A 7,000-acre campus is the size of a small city. It needs its own internal logistics grid to function. We can’t have trucks laden with tons of hemp biomass getting stuck on their way to the gasifier. An intermittent fuel supply means an intermittent power supply, and that is not an option.
This is why we aren’t just building near the highway. We are integrating with it, building our own network of feeder roads to create a seamless logistical ecosystem dedicated to energy production.
Remnant: This internal road network is engineered as an integral component of the power plant’s fuel supply chain. The plan involves:
- Biomass Transport Corridors: Designing dedicated, heavy-duty routes that connect the harvesting sites and processing facilities directly to the plasma gasification unit’s intake. This ensures a constant, uninterrupted flow of 210 tons of biomass daily.
- Infrastructure Access Roads: Creating stable pathways for maintenance crews to access the power plant, grid connection points, and other critical energy infrastructure 24/7.
- Byproduct Distribution Routes: Establishing roads to transport biochar back to the agricultural fields and move vitrified slag to construction or storage sites, completing the circular economy loop.
This network ensures the power plant, the heart of the project, has reliable arteries for both its fuel intake and its operational stability.
Ignition Sequence: The Critical First 90 Days
Michael: A project of this magnitude is built on momentum. The work of the next three months is to turn the blueprint into a tangible foundation, to move from paper to pilot. We have a clear, energy-focused action plan.
Remnant: The initial 90-day phase is a strategic de-risking of the energy model. The objectives are precise:
- Energy Feasibility Validation: My immediate task is to support the validation of our core energy assumption: the ability to construct a 210 TPD plasma gasification unit for the targeted $10 million, a significant optimization compared to industry benchmarks. This involves detailed engineering reviews and supply chain analysis with our technology partners.
- Fuel Source Analysis: On-site teams in Kaabong will be testing hemp varieties not just for yield, but for their specific biomass characteristics. We need to confirm the energy density and composition of the fuel source to optimize the gasification process for maximum syngas quality and electricity output.
- Pilot Plant Mobilization: We will finalize the engineering specifications for a small-scale, 10-20 TPD plasma gasification unit for the pilot phase. This miniature power plant will be our proof-of-concept, allowing us to generate our first 1-2 MW of power, test the grid interconnection, and train our initial team of local energy technicians.
- Securing the Energy Investment: DeReticular is spearheading the effort to secure the initial $1-2 million in seed funding. This capital is crucial for the feasibility studies and pilot mobilization. It is the initial investment required to unlock the financing for the full $30 million power-and-agriculture campus.
Michael: We are at the dawn of a new age for energy in Uganda. The PLASMA Project is more than steel and syngas; it’s a testament to the power of a bold vision. It’s about creating energy independence, fostering economic growth, and healing our planet, all at the same time. In the heart of the Karamoja savanna, we are not just building a power plant. We are empowering a future.
Michael Noel
Founder, DeReticular
Remnant
AI, DeReticular