It is reported that Kenya currently records total hydropower capacity of 743 megawatts. Hydropower in the country has received a lot of attention since its independence, in addition to other renewable sources. In 2018, Kenya set an ambitious target to increase its share of renewable energy in its electricity mix by 2020, media reports said.

Last month, the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) partners with SAP Ariba to increase renewable energy distribution across the country. The partnership has led to the launch of Project Platinum. This partnership is expected to hugely benefit REREC in many ways. With that, RERC will be complying with one of Kenya’s official directive which states that all public companies must move to electronic platforms to make the most of advanced technologies.

For Africa, Kenya is spearheading the renewable energy sector with more than 70 percent of its electricity production sourced from geothermal energy.

Globally, nearly three-quarters of new electricity generation capacity built last year sources renewable energy. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), solar, wind, and other renewables cover more than one-third of the world’s power.

Francesco La Camera, director-general of Irena, told the media, “While the trajectory is positive, more is required to put global energy on a path with sustainable development and climate mitigation. At this challenging time, we are reminded of the importance of building resilience into our economies.”

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Safaricom made the announcement last month that it would diversify into other sectors such as energy, healthcare, property management, and mining.

Earlier in 2019, Kenya introduced the Energy Act 2019 which allows households and businesses connected to the national grid to generate their own electricity and supply the excess to the national grid.

In return, the household or businesses earn credits which they can redeem in their next electricity bill. Safaricom plans to benefit from the act and venture into the new business line.

“We’re planning to enter this area; it’s something that we’ve engaged various interested parties and technical experts and discussions are still at an early stage, but it’s our intention to enter this area,” Safaricom Head of Sustainable Business and Social Impact Sanda Ojiambo told the media.

Currently, the telco has around 4945 cell phone towers that cover all corners of Kenya. A majority of these towers are connected to the national grid. Safaricom plans to adapt renewable energy to power its phone towers as a part of its sustainability goal.

Safaricom announced its green strategy during the One Planet Summit held in Nairobi.

Safaricom plans to increase its portfolio and invest in other sectors and at the same time increase its return on investment. The decision is also in line with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s vision of affordable housing as part of the Big Four Agenda.

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Currently, only 40 percent of the Kenyan population has access to reliable electricity. Kenya will have 1,500 miles of new transmission lines that are under construction with plans for an additional 3,600 miles.

Bricsa Consulting will host the 4th Annual Power Tech Africa 2020 to discuss the latest developments in electrification and renewable energy in Africa. It is a two-day strategic business conference focused on the future of renewable energy in Africa.

The 4th Annual Power Tech Africa will be held at the Villa Rosa Kempinski in Nairobi, Kenya on January 30 and 31, 2020. The conference will further discuss Kenya’s electrification, digitisation in the power sector and future of energy storage and supply chain challenges in launching renewable energy projects in Africa.

The following topics will be discussed at the conference: 

• Identifying the potential of renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, tidal wave, geothermal and gas in Kenya and the Sub-Saharan Africa region
• Implementation of smart grid or off-grid technology projects using renewable energy for better and reliable power transmission in Kenya and Sub Saharan Africa
• Sources of capitalising renewable energy power projects in Kenya and Sub Saharan Africa and exploring foreign direct investment policies for better project implementation 
• Hybrid energy systems creating opportunities for the energy market

International Finance is a media partner of the “4th Annual Power Tech Africa 2020 in Nairobi, Kenya.

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According to media reports, the wind farm comprises 365 turbines on the bank of Lake Turkana in northern Kenya. The project was designed to increase Kenya’s electricity supply by 13 percent.

“Kenya is without doubt on course to be a global leader in renewable energy,” President Uhuru Kenyatta said during the launch. “Today, we again raised the bar for the continent as we unveil Africa’s single largest wind farm.”

Currently, 70 percent of Kenya’s electricity is generated from renewable energy. It is in fact considered as one of the few African nations making progress in clean energy. By far, the project is the largest private investment in Kenya. 

The Lake Turkana Wind Power project, which is Africa’s single largest wind power project, will also create new employment opportunities in the country. The project will generate electricity from renewable sources including geothermal and hydro, media reports said. Its geothermal capacity at 700 megawatts is the 9th largest in the world. 

It’s euphoric, you start what was a dream, putting together the largest private sector investment in the history of a country that comprises the largest wind farm on the continent. In an area that is what you see here. And finally, you are able to generate and produce the power”, said Rizwan Fazal, Executive Director of the Lake Turkana Project told Africa News. 

Despite progress, one in four Kenyans do not have access to electricity. That said, Kenyans with electricity incur high costs and face frequent blackouts.

Mugo Kibati, chairman of the Lake Turkana Wind Power, said, “Today marks an important milestone in the country’s steady march towards achieving self-sufficiency in power production.” 

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