Kenyan government plans to drastically increase the investment in and use of wind energy

A high-level government delegation from Kenya has been on a study tour through Europe, facilitated by WWEA and as part of a major programme organized by Windforce Management which aims at analyzing and improving the conditions for wind power in Kenya in general.

The Kenyan government is planning to massively increase the use of renewable energy in the country, and in particular to attract investment in wind power. The government delegation has visited Germany and Denmark in order to optimize its national wind power strategy by learning in both countries from wind power practitioners from industry, government, and science.

The delegation comprised representatives from the Energy Ministry of Kenya, the Kenya Power and Lighting Company and the Energy Regulatory Commission of Kenya. During the tour, the delegation visited wind companies including developers, operators and equipment manufacturers, government agencies and international organizations and associations as well as research and training institutes. The study tour is part of a major programme organized by Windforce Management Ltd (India) who have been contracted to analyze wind data from wind data measuring masts and to propose a  wind energy development plan and prospectus for Kenya .

Mr Stefan Gsänger, WWEA Secretary General: “We are very pleased about Kenya’s ambitious plans in wind power and that we can help the government of Kenya with practical advice from our members on how to implement wind technology in Kenya, both for grid-connected as well as for off grid applications. Given that Kenya is setting up the right policies in the near future, the country is about to become the wind power hub of Eastern Africa. Considering the potential market size of several thousands of Megawatt, Kenya may soon attract domestic as well as international investors in this sector on a large scale. We are more than happy to support Kenya in this process and make wind power available for the benefit of the people of the country.”

Mr Isaac Kiva, Acting Director for Renewable Energy at the Kenyan Ministry for Energy: “Kenya intends to increase its power sector in the near future substantially, primarily by expanding the use of renewable energy. Wind power has to play a key role in this, and we have been glad to hear from the practical experience in Germany and Denmark. Kenya has just announced a plan to increase the power generation by an additional 5000 Megawatts in the next 40 months, and wind energy will form a substantial portion of this new capacity. The study tour helped us to understand and appreciate the necessary policy and regulatory frameworks, as well as other key drivers for effective wind energy development programmes. Key elements of the tour were the understanding of advancement in wind energy grid integration technologies and  arrangements, which make it possible to inject higher percentages of wind than previously conservatively stated.”

Dr Jami Hossain, Chief Mentor and co-founder of Windforce Management: “After conducting an elaborate country study of wind resources in Kenya, we felt it was necessary to connect the policy makers and the main stake holders in Kenya with the international wind industry. Lessons learned in leading countries like Denmark and Germany in areas of technology, grid integration and regulatory frameworks can be guiding factors for the evolving wind sector in Kenya. We are thankful to WWEA for stepping in to facilitate and conduct the study tour. The wind power potential in Kenya is tremendous and our study has identified many excellent sites in the country which could be used to significantly enhance availability of power in grid-connected and off grid modes. With excellent leadership and interest from the Ministry of Energy, we see Kenya emerging as a hub of wind energy developments in East Africa.”