Nairobi: Germany’s Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Dr. Robert Habeck, has praised Kenya for its significant strides in renewable energy, particularly in geothermal, solar, and wind investments. These efforts, he noted, are vital in combating climate change and global warming, which disproportionately affect Africa and other developing regions.
According to Kenya News Agency, Dr. Habeck made these remarks during his visit to Olkaria’s geothermal wells in Naivasha, Nakuru County. He emphasized Germany’s commitment to providing financial support and technical expertise to help Kenya expand its geothermal power capabilities and achieve its goal of 100% renewable energy by 2030. The Vice Chancellor is heading a delegation of over 800 members to the German Investment Forum in Nairobi this week, aiming to explore investment and partnership opportunities between Germany and Kenya.
Germany has already contributed more than 248.1 million Euros (approximately 33.9 billion
Kenyan Shillings) through the German Development Bank (KFW) to ongoing energy projects in Kenya. Since 1963, Germany has been a crucial partner in Kenya’s development, investing a total of 2.5 billion Euros (about 342.7 billion Kenyan Shillings) in the country, particularly in the energy sector. During a 2022 government negotiation on development cooperation, Germany pledged an additional 153 million Euros (20 billion Kenyan Shillings) for the period 2022-2024.
Kenya ranks sixth globally in geothermal production, with the United States leading at 3,900 megawatts (MW), followed by Indonesia and the Philippines. Kenya is Africa’s leader in geothermal exploration and production. KenGen Managing Director Engineer Peter Njenga announced an ambitious 10-year strategic plan (2024-2034) to add 1,500 MW of green electricity to Kenya’s national grid to meet the growing energy demand, which is expected to increase significantly in the next decade.
KenGen’s plan includes generating 840 MW from geothermal, 140 MW from h
ydro sources, and the remainder from solar and wind. An investor is already working on a project in Menengai, Nakuru, to add an additional 300 MW to the grid. Engineer Njenga highlighted the government’s commitment to transitioning to green energy and away from fossil fuels by 2030.
The company has allocated 342 hectares for a green park where investors can access geothermal power at a reduced cost. Fourteen companies have shown interest in investing in this park, which aims to be fully operational by 2045. KenGen’s total installed capacity of 1,786 MW is the largest in Africa, sourced from geothermal, hydro, wind, and solar energy.
KenGen is also assisting neighboring countries like Tanzania, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Eswatini with geothermal exploration. The company is adding 42.5 MW from its solar project to complement hydro sources, ensuring a continuous power supply.
Representing Energy Cabinet Secretary James Opiyo Wandayi, ICT and Digital Economy CS Dr. Margaret Nyambura Ndung’u applauded the Kenya-Ge
rmany partnership in renewable energy, currently accounting for 93% of Kenya’s electricity consumption. She emphasized the importance of these investments in reducing carbon emissions and mitigating climate change impacts.
Kenya produces 1,100 MW of geothermal power, with an additional 450 MW ready to be integrated into the national grid. As of 2022, nine million Kenyans are connected to the national electricity grid, a significant increase from two million in 2002. Geothermal resources in Kenya have a potential of 1,000 gigawatts (GW) spread across 14 sites in the Rift Valley.
Kenya’s current effective installed electricity capacity is predominantly from hydro and fossil fuel sources, with contributions from biogas, wind, and solar energy.