Kenya races to achieve universal power access in 6 years

Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has reiterated that the government is fast-tracking efforts to ensure that all Kenyans are connected to power by 2030.

He said that the government, through the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, has set aside Ksh42 billion in the current financial year for electricity connections across the country.

Wandayi at the same time indicated that President William Ruto’s administration has taken a bold green growth initiative that aims to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2030.

He pointed out that Kenya was seizing every available opportunity to become more reliant on green energy, noting that despite being a developing nation, Kenya has managed to position itself alongside many developed countries in the race to invest in renewable energy.

“Kenya is now part of the International Energy Agency (IEA) association, a group of 13 countries that includes a majority of developed nations. This reflects Kenya’s commitment to advancing its energy transition,” explained Wandayi.

Speaking when he presided over tree planting in Koibatek Forest, which straddles Nakuru and Baringo Counties, Wandayi said he had represented the country at the recently concluded COP29 conference in Baku, Azerbaijan. The conference’s goal was to find solutions to ensure that global warming does not exceed 1.5°C—a threshold that, if breached, would have catastrophic effects on the planet.

Wandayi observed that the global call for a green energy revolution comes at a time when Kenya is stepping up its efforts to catch up with developed countries in ensuring 100 per cent green energy by 2030.

“On the sidelines of COP29, Kenya hosted the Powerelec Kenya 2024 conference—a 3-day African Solar Energy Conference focused on renewable energy storage and electrical industries. The event attracted regional and international stakeholders from the energy sector,” Wandayi stated.

Currently, 90% of the country’s energy is sourced from renewables, with 45% from geothermal, 19% from hydropower, 17% from solar, and 3% from wind. The country’s energy mix serves as a model for integrating variable renewables and enhancing grid flexibility

energy cabinet secretary opiyo wandayi

Officials and employees from Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen), Geothermal Development Company (GDC), Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC), State Department for Energy, State Department for Petroleum, Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), and Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) participated in the tree planting exercise.

Kenya’s progress, the CS elaborated, is further reflected in its 100% electricity access rate in urban areas and 65% in rural areas, adding that the country’s total energy generation capacity stands at 2,150MW, with projections for continued growth through public-private partnerships focused on renewable energy.

He said the country was focused on sustainable energy and its role in leading Africa’s climate adaptation efforts.

He outlined Kenya’s ambitious plans for a green industrial strategy and called for concrete, action-oriented outcomes in the fight against climate change. Wandayi noted that President Ruto had already unveiled Kenya’s ambitious goal to expand its current energy capacity from 3GW to 100GW of entirely renewable power by 2050.

“The state has since pledged to triple renewable energy capacity, double energy efficiency, and significantly reduce fossil fuel dependency by 2030, aligning with the global commitment to maintaining global temperatures within a 1.5⁰ C limit,” added the Cabinet Secretary.

He also underscored the importance of turning Africa into a green powerhouse for both the continent and global industrial decarbonisation.

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