Kenya ranked high for renewable energy

Geothermal power generation in Olkaria. Kenya is among the top 10 countries with the largest geothermal power capacity worldwide. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By  Leonard Onyango

What you need to know:

  • About 9 million households in Kenya have access to off-grid renewable energy.

  • Renewable energy accounts for over 70 per cent of Kenya’s installed capacity compared to the world average of 24 per cent, according to the Ministry of Energy.

Kenya is among the top 10 countries with the largest geothermal power capacity worldwide, a report released on Monday shows.

According to Renewables 2018 Global Status Report (GSR), Kenya tops in Africa and is ninth globally with a capacity of about 700 megawatts.

Kenya beats technological heavyweights such as Japan that has been ranked at position 10 with a geothermal generating capacity of 500 megawatts.

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United States has the largest geothermal generating capacity globally with 2,500 megawatts followed by Philippines (1,900 MW), Indonesia (1,800 MW), Turkey (1,100 MW), New Zealand (1,000 MW), Mexico (900 MW), Italy (800 MW) and Iceland (750 MW). The rest of the world shares 950 MW.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Renewable energy accounts for over 70 per cent of Kenya’s installed capacity compared to the world average of 24 per cent, according to the Ministry of Energy.

Renewable 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, 70 MW Olkaria 1 and the 140 MW Ol Karia V.

Use of renewable energy is among the measures to combat adverse impacts of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“Kenya’s Olivado plant, which produces oil from avocados, is installing a biogas system that will reduce its waste streams and make the plant self-sufficient in energy, producing 1.5 Gigawatt hours (GWh),” says the report by Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st century (REN21).

GLOBAL TRANSITION

REN21 – supported by United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) – is a global renewable energy policy network that aims to facilitate knowledge exchange, policy development and joint action towards a rapid global transition to renewable energy.

The report also indicates that about 9 million households in Kenya have access to off-grid renewable energy.

“In Kenya and Uganda, the number of off-grid systems deployed in 2016 outpaced the grid connections achieved by rural electrification agencies and national utility companies,” it says. 

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