Kenya, the self-proclaimed king of renewables in Africa, has been largely insulated from the volatility of fossil fuel prices and concerns over imported fuel supply security that plagued many countries in 2022. According to the Global Electricity Review published by Ember, Kenya ranks third globally for the proportion of its electricity that comes from renewable sources, just behind Norway and Costa Rica. With solar and wind energy gaining momentum globally, they now account for 12% of the world’s electricity generation, a significant jump from the 5% figure recorded in 2015 when the Paris Agreement was signed.
In 2022, Kenya produced 19.7% of its electricity from wind and solar, with wind being the dominant source, followed by just 6.41% of solar power. While the growth of wind capacity rose by 30%, solar capacity tripled from 2018 to 2022, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
With the country aiming to reach the goal of 100% renewable electricity by 2030, Kenya needs to maximise its solar potential, which is eight times that of geothermal and 13 times that of hydroelectric sources. To achieve this, the country needs to develop a comprehensive strategy for all sectors, including household rooftops, industrial and commercial premises, large-scale solar farms, and mini-grids.
Rooftop solar is the most popular globally, with one in five solar panels installed last year globally being on Chinese rooftops. In Europe, two-thirds of installations were on rooftops in 2022, while Namibia quadrupled its solar power from 6% in 2017 to 24% in 2021, making it the African country with the highest solar power share. Large grid-scale solar has taken off in many countries, while hydroelectric dams provide an ideal location for floating solar power. Kenya’s Ministry of Energy has proposed to increase renewable capacity from 3GW to 100GW in 18 years to build economic growth around renewable electricity, with KenGen’s latest plans to add just 3GW in the next decade, mainly from geothermal and hydro capacity.
Solar energy is about to take off globally, and the International Energy Agency has called it the “king” of electricity. The question is whether Kenya, the king of renewables, can harness its full potential as it seeks to achieve its ambitious goal.
