Kenya leads pack in clean energy

PHOTO: Courtesy

KENYA has maintained its position as the leading purveyor of clean energy in Africa.

Consequently, Kenya’s positionas the undisputed business hub in Africa has grown to new heights with the prestigious 5th position ranking by in the  annual Bloomberg index measuring investments and opportunities in clean energy, underlining the country’s position as the centre of renewable energy in Africa.

The Bloomberg NEF (BNEF) latest Climate scope report says that Kenya’s rise for the first time in the global top five has been backed by the higher contribution of solar, wind and geothermal capacity into the energy mix.

These three now account for up to 65 percent of the country’s energy sources.

Kenya, which had Sh140 billion investments in clean energy sources in 2018, ranked the best in Africa and together with Morocco made it to the top 10 list, beating many others from the developed world, including Europe where most of the clean energy investments are sourced.

“Kenya appears for the first time in the Climatescope top five. The country is gradually increasing its share of non-large hydro renewables by adding solar, wind and geothermal,” says the Bloomberg report.

The ranking vindicates the Kenya Government zeal to invest in renewable energy, more so in the geothermal industry.

However, these noble venture has been slowed by massive graft at the Geothermal Development Company, the firm that overseas investments in energy.