Kenya to go all out for renewable energy

Kenya authorities plan to invest more in solar energy as results from the Garissa solar power plant in eastern Kenya helps to stabilize electricity prices in the Eastern African nation.

According to Simon Gicharu, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the rural electrification and renewable energy company (Rerec), the Kenyan government will not rest on its laurels because the short-term results produced by the largest solar power plant in East Africa are encouraging.

The Garissa power plant has proven to be an exemplary project with many environmental benefits. That is why we will now invest more in solar power projects, Gicharu said.

Garissa solar power plant, which has been launched in November 2018, produced 28.5 million KW, sold to distributor Kenya Power for €3.8 million.

By injecting clean energy into the national grid, the 65.54-megawatt solar power plant, built and financed by China, stabilized the price of KW/h during the drought period from December 2018 to January and February 2019.

Kenya intends to use its annual sunshine of more than 300 days in the development of electrical energy.

The government plans to upgrade the rural electrification program by establishing energy centers in 47 rural communities.

In 2018, the Kenyan Government announced its intention to achieve universal electricity access by 2022 through on-grid, off-grid and small-scale solutions.