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Africa | April 6, 2022

Geothermal and wind energy help boost Kenya’s generation capacity

Kenya: Kenya’s installed power generation capacity increased from 2,265 MW in 2017 to 2,984 MW as of June 2021, a 31.7 % increase.

Source: ESI Africa

Kenya: Kenya’s installed power generation capacity increased from 2,265 MW in 2017 to 2,984 MW as of June 2021, a 31.7 % increase.

Gordon Kihalangwa, Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Energy of Kenya, said the development was supported by geothermal and wind power expansion programmes undertaken by Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) and other private sector players.

Kihalangwa also said it was imperative for energy sector stakeholders to undertake a SWOT analysis of the sector to enable them to identify threats, challenges and available opportunities facing the sector so as to propose holistic plans that took into consideration the emerging issues.

Geothermal is the leading contributor of power to the national grid, accounting for 44.12 % followed by hydropower at 26.98 %. Thermal is below 13 %. KenGen contributes 26 MW to the national grid from its wind power plant in Ngong hills.

“The government and its development partners have increased investments in green energy development to help diversify baseload renewable electricity supply in the country and reduce greenhouse gas emissions occasioned by fossil-fuel-based alternatives,” noted Kihalangwa.

Other green energy power plants under development in Kenya, include the 300 MW Lake Turkana Wind Power Plant, which is the single largest wind power plant in Africa, the 70 MW Olkaria 1 and the 140 MW Olkaria V.

Kihalangwa stated that Kenya has been ranked as the top country in the world in reducing the population with no access to electricity, pointing to the impact of the State’s focus on rural areas for nearly a decade.

He observed, “The Energy Progress Report for 2021, a product of a partnership between the World Bank and bodies such as the International Energy Agency, says Kenya’s electrification pace is now ahead of population growth.”