Kenya Power plans to set up charging stations hoping to benefit from the changeover from fuel powered to electric cars.
The power utility firm has floated a tender inviting interested developers to put up electric cars charging stations in Nairobi and Nakuru by February.
The two cities will act as the pilot for the project.
Kenya Power is seeking partners to develop and implement an E-Mobility Network Infrastructure System (ENIS)
This comes as investors, mainly in the private sector, continue to invest in electric cars.
Kenya is among African countries that are slowly moving into what is projected to grow into a multimillion-dollar market.
This is driven by growing demand for e-mobility(electric vehicles) which are now increasing on the continents' roads.
South Africa, Mauritius, Seychelles, Rwanda, and North African countries are leading the market, according to United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Kenya is also building momentum with a target of five per cent of all newly registered vehicles expected to be electric by 2025.
The charging system will ensure that e-mobility customers are served in a seamless manner countrywide where Kenya Power has grid presence, the firm says in the tender document.
The proposed system will include charging infrastructure, which will make charging easy at known locations. They will include home, business and public chargers.
It is also seeking to have in place a billing and payment system in place, supporting multiple payment channels which includes mobile money, E-Wallet, bank account and credit card.
It will also have a service management platform.
To enable Kenya Power develop a business value thesis for the full adoption of the proposed system, the partner company will undergo a two-stage implementation process of proof of concept and implementation.
“The phase will give Kenya Power a hands on experience to evaluate the potential and complexity of e-mobility ecosystem before full-scale implementation is undertaken,” general manager supply chain and logistics , John Ngeno,said.
The phase is expected not to take more than six months from the commencement date set for next month.
The implementation phase will be used to roll-out the system within major towns or counties, a process that will take up to two years, once the proof of concept is approved and signed-off by Kenya Power.
Companies seeking to partner in the programme must have experience in developing and supporting such a system, the firm says.
They also must have completed at least two similar projects.
Other requirements include audited financial accounts for the last three years, ownership details and tax compliance. Deadline for submission is August 30.
Decarbonisation has become a major global theme that is changing and driving the energy landscape as the world pushes for net zero emissions by the year 2050.
Mobility consisting of road aviation, rail, maritime and other forms of transport account for 19 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions and two per cent of nitrous oxide emissions.
In order to net zero emissions it will require a complete transformation of the current transport sectors globally and transitioning towards E-mobility ( electric vehicles) is now a matter of necessity worldwide, Kenya Power notes.
According to UNEP data, there are about 50 startup companies in Kenya in the electric two- and three-wheeler space and by last year, there were about 18 e-mobility companies, with more being established.
“In order to remain competitive in this fast growing and changing energy market, Kenya Power intends to be an active player in e-mobility value chain so that it can serve customers, spur energy demand and substantially grow its revenue,” management notes.
Widespread electric car adoption requires a robust widespread public electric car charging network system that currently does not exist.
Kenya Power is also banking on the country’s installed capacity and demand to increase sales.
Last year, peak demand rose by 68MW, from 1,926MW the previous year to 1,994MW registered in June 2021.
The contracted generation capacity increased to 2,828 MW from 2,685 MW following the addition of renewable energy sources.
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