UK Media Praise Uhuru's Ksh13B Project

President Uhuru Kenyatta during a past tour of Maasai Mara
President Uhuru Kenyatta during a past tour of Maasai Mara
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The British media lauded Kenya's green energy projects, days after US President-Elect Joe Biden reiterated that he is keen on ensuring that Americans adopt clean energy too. 

The Guardian, in an article published on Wednesday, November 11, listed Kenya among the frontrunners in green energy particularly in the use of geothermal power production.

The media recognised Kenya (Africa) alongside Spain (Europe) South Korea (Asia) and Uruguay (South America). Geothermal productions entail hydropower, wind, solar and thermal power

Kenya owns the biggest solar generation plant – the Ksh 13 billion China-funded Garissa Plant where more than 200,000 PV panels produce 50MW. 

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President Uhuru Kenyatta launches Garissa Power Plant in Garissa County on Friday, December 13, 2019
PSCU

Investors also completed the construction of 105 MWe Menengai geothermal power plant in the Rift Valley in October 2020. 

The solar power farm together with the Lake Turkana Wind Power (LTWP) project saw Kenya ranked number five in the 2019 Climatescope Index released by the Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF2019).

The wind power project further reportedly attracted Google which expressed interest in investing in it after it emerged the biggest in Africa.

In 2020 Kenya was ranked seventh globally in the production of geothermal power across the globe. The rankings were reflected in the Renewable Capacity Statistics 2020.

Renewables already provide more than 93% of Kenya’s electricity and President Uhuru Kenyatta's government plans to expand it further and make it accessible to every Kenyan by 2022.

"Our target is to attain 100% green energy sufficiency by 2020. We will do this while we achieve 100% access to power for our population, and sharply lower costs to industry to aid our manufacturing push,” the Head of State said while speaking during a roundtable session of the Paris Peace Forum in France in November 2018.

US President-elect Joe Biden promised that his administration will unveil $2tn (Ksh 218 trillion) clean energy infrastructure and other climate solutions. 

Olkaria II geothermal power plant, Kenya.
Olkaria II geothermal power plant, Kenya.
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Source: ARGeo