Kenya is harnessing sun’s potential as next frontier in its renewable energy sector

Kenya has seen a significant surge in solar power generation that experts hail as a game-changer for the East African country, whose abundant sunshine can potentially revolutionize its energy sector in terms of cost-effectiveness and scalability.
But rather than environmental concerns, the surge in solar energy perhaps seems to be more motivated by simple economics — solar energy is simply a more cost-effective option. Kenya has managed to meet a staggering 80% of its power demand through the utilization of green energy sources and the East African country has now even set its sights on achieving a remarkable feat by the year 2030 — a goal of reaching a 100% mark. To that end, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz recently bestowed high praise upon Kenya, referring to the country in East Africa as a “climate champion and model.”
In Kenya, while focus on geothermal energy has been prominent thus far, the significance of solar energy is steadily growing. The surge in the use of solar energy is a welcome development for many Kenyans given that the country suffers from a persistent issue of frequent power outages. Also, since some remote regions in the country remain disconnected from the national power grid, solar energy could provide many Kenyans with more energy independence. A recent study conducted by the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania reveals that Kenya has emerged as a global leader in solar energy generation — creating favorable conditions for harnessing solar power. But for Kenya’s ambitious goals to be achieved, the country must take more proactive measures and enhance its geothermal energy resources alongside wind and solar power, says the report.