Kenya is opening up the green energy subsector for investors in its push for 100 per cent clean energy by 2030.
Speaking during his inaugural visit to the Lake Turkana Wind Power (LTWP) project, Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi said the government is committed to making the country energy sufficient to avoid overreliance on imported power.
"We are fully committed to providing an enabling environment to investors in the nascent green energy sub-sector as a way of affording the citizenry clean, affordable, reliable, and efficient energy. This, in our view, is a steady pathway to a nationwide transition to green energy," Wandayi said.
Currently, Kenya generates more than 70 per cent of its energy from renewable sources like geothermal, hydro, and wind energy, with the solar energy sector becoming attractive for industrial and home use.
The Cabinet Secretary said that as a critical enabler in catalysing the national economic growth and prosperity, provision of a reliable energy source was critical.
He said that as part of his strategy to inspire investor confidence in the green energy, he has petitioned the National Assembly to consider lifting the 2023 moratorium on Power Purchase Agreements (PPA).
The freeze, initially imposed to reassess Kenya’s energy procurement strategy, has been a point of concern for investors in the renewable energy sector.
The Cabinet Secretary lauded the Lake Turkana Wind Power project for its contribution to Kenya’s energy grid, supplying 12 per cent of the country’s electricity.
Since commencing operations in 2018, the wind farm has delivered 9.5 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean energy to the national grid.
"This is an admirable performance, and coupled with an average capacity factor of 54.7 per cent, (perceived to be one of the highest of the wind power plants in the world), the road to a nationwide green energy is real," he added.
LTWP Chief Executive Officer Max Schiff said the company has made progress in positively impacting lives in Marsabit County, employing 80 per cent of its employees from the community.
"We give preference to locals whenever a vacancy arises. This ensures that we cultivate a symbiotic working relationship besides addressing the soaring cases of unemployment in the region," he said.
Schiff added that LTWP has injected more than Sh840 million in Corporate Social Investment projects and activities in the area.
"We have invested in education, water, and health, among other thematic areas, with admirable results. We purpose to do much more, resources dictating," he said.
He said the company was also making modest contributions to the country through the timely payment of taxes and remittances.
"We regularly and timely meet our tax obligations and remittances and have never fallen short at any given time," he confirmed.
