Kenya aiming for 100% green electricity by 2020

Nairobi.  Image via WE Forum from Amir Cohen.

From World Economic Forum:

Kenya’s president has announced plans to move the country to 100% green energy [they mean electricity--cars will still be petrol-driven] by 2020, as it scales up renewable investment. 

With an eye on sustainable development, President Uhuru Kenyatta aims to help mitigate climate change by reducing Kenya’s carbon footprint, while creating much-needed jobs.

The move comes as the country looks to triple the number of people connected to its power grid, to reach 60% of the population. 

Currently, 70% of the nation’s installed electricity capacity comes from renewable energy sources, which is more than three times the global average.

The transition to fully renewable energy could further boost the population’s access to the national power grid and reduce manufacturing production costs.

Kenya has invested heavily in geothermal power generation, which supplies low-cost, low-emissions energy. According to the Renewables 2018 Global Status Report, the nation ranks 9th in the world for its geothermal power generating capacity (700 megawatts).

Africa’s largest single wind power facility is currently being developed at Lake Turkana in Kenya’s Rift Valley, with separate investments to develop other wind power plants.

An estimated 9 million Kenyan households have access to off-grid renewable energy and this figure is set to rise.

Kenya is following a dual strategy: it's expanding its grid but it is also adding micro-grids to remote villages.  And despite the claims of the coal spruikers, it's doing it using renewables, not new coal-powered power stations.