Kenya
Situated in the Eastern African region with rich highlands and glaciers, Kenya is amongst the continent’s most populated countries — and boasts one of the continent’s largest economies.
Kenya achieved 75% electrification in February 2022, with access rates reaching 100% in urban areas and 65% in rural ones. Over 80% of Kenya’s electricity is also generated from renewable energy sources — the vast majority of which comes from solar power, making the country a front-runner in African connectivity.
Still, Kenya’s energy transformation has not slowed down in light of these successes.
The country is expected to make use of its untapped off-grid solar potential in the coming years, as it works towards its goal to utilise 100% of renewable energy by 2030, as announced at COP26.
On the route to achieving its renewable goals, Kenya has set its sights set on achieving 852MW installed solar capacity by 2037 — offering duty-free solar panels and inverters and 50% tax relief on initial investments in equipment for the generation, transformation and distribution of electricity to the national grid.
Plus, thanks to various renewable energy initiatives established near the end of the 2010s, many more promising large-scale PV projects have emerged.
Planned Projects
A series of Kenyan solar plants that entered development towards the end of 2022 will become operational during 2023.
This includes the 30MWp Kisumu plant, which promises to generate 105.3MWh of clean electricity during its first year of operation — and meet the energy needs of at least 610,000 local residents.
SNV, a leading non-profit organisation helping foster sustainable economic development across Africa, will also see a series of its installations pick up speed in 2023, including the ‘Access to Solar Water Pumps in Laikipia’ project, which will provide solar-powered water pumps to Kenyan farmers.
The 10MW Samburu solar park in Kwale Country, which entered construction in February 2023, is another project set to contribute to Kenya’s journey to renewables in 2023.
In terms of renewable energy partnerships, Kenya will benefit from the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF), financed by the UK, Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden in 2023 — a strategic initiative set to help fund a new 40MW PV project in Kenya, which is expected to reach completion by spring 2023.