- SETA project, which spanned three and a half years, provided essential support to the 16 counties to develop their CEPs at a total cost of 4 million Euros.
- Developing a CEP for one county is estimated to cost approximately Sh11 million.
Image: COURTESY
In a significant development for Kenya's energy sector, 16 counties are on track to completing their County Energy Plans (CEPs).
This now marks a key step towards the realisation of an all-inclusive Integrated National Energy Plan (INEP) as mandated by the Energy Act (2019).
The announcement came during the Close Out Conference for the EU-funded Sustainable Energy Technical Assistance (SETA) project, held in Nairobi.
CEPs serve as blueprints for each county's energy mix, outlining sources and utilization strategies while providing a foundation for investment and intervention.
The SETA project, which spanned three and a half years, provided essential support to the particular 16 counties to develop their CEPs at a total cost of 4 million Euros.
It was, however, revealed during the conference that 25 other counties are yet to commence their CEPs.
Speaking during the event, Isaac Kiva, the Secretary of Renewable Energy at the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum emphasized the importance of finalizing the CEPs, highlighting their central role in shaping the INEP.
“Completion of the CEPs is critical because they form the core components of the Integrated National Energy Plan (INEP) as espoused in the Energy Act (2019),” Eng Kiva said.
Kiva also called for additional partner support to enable the remaining counties to initiate and complete their plans, underscoring the need for inclusivity.
Developing a CEP for one county is estimated to cost approximately Sh11 million.
“We cannot have an INEP that excludes other counties. The INEP is supposed to be all-inclusive. Leaving no one behind. So, you can see, we still have some work to be done,” he said.
He also highlighted the expanding energy portfolio, emphasizing the government's focus on initiatives such as e-mobility and e-cooking, which offer employment opportunities and improved lifestyles.
Rosemary Rop, representing the Council of Governors on her part noted that the CEP development process uncovered opportunities in non-traditional renewable energy solutions, liquid biofuels, and expanding energy access to marginalised areas.
Dan Marangu, Renewable Energy director stated that the strategic journey towards achieving Sustainable Energy for All by 2030 and universal access to clean, reliable, affordable energy.
“This is a strategic journey towards achieving Sustainable Energy for All by 2030 under the SE4All framework. Ultimately, we are looking at universal access to clean, reliable, affordable energy,” Marangu said.
Global LPG Partnership representative Elizabeth Muchiri said there was need for regulations to support the uptake of LPG, as revealed by statistics indicating low rural usage compared to the national average.
At the SETA conference, it was revealed that only 6 per cent of rural Kenya uses LPG while the national average is 26 per cent.
“Though Kenya is among the countries with high LPG uses, a lot needs to be done to stimulate uptake. We need regulations that support safety, affordability, and accessibility. That is one of the efforts the County Energy Plans is strongly proposing going forward,” Ms. Elizabeth Muchiri, the Director, Global LPG Partnership said.
Martin Andersen, Head of Infrastructure and Energy at the European Delegation in Kenya, commended Kenya's progress towards a green grid, pledging EU support towards achieving 100 per cent renewable energy.
Andersen highlighted EU support for emerging areas like green hydrogen, aimed at creating more jobs and strengthening Kenya's green energy infrastructure.
“There are other interesting emerging areas that the EU is supporting Kenya like on green hydrogen which is set to create more jobs,” Mr Andersen noted.
Kiva further called for a review of energy policies, focusing on 11 thematic areas to ensure alignment with Kenya's ambitious energy transition goals.