Wind power in Kenya
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 | This article may require copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone, or spelling. (July 2015) |
Wind contributes only a small amount of electrical energy in Kenya. However, its share in energy production is increasing as new infrastructure is added. Kenya aims to generate 2,036 MW of wind power, or 9% of the country's total capacity, by the year 2030.[1]
Kenya has one major wind farm, Ngong Hills Wind Farm, located in Ngong, Kajiado County. It produces around 5.1 MW of electricity.[2] It is owned by Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) and cost KES 1.6 billion (US $18 million) to construct.
Notable projects
Lake Turkana Wind Power (LTWP)
Kenya plans to build the largest wind farm in Africa, the Lake Turkana Wind Power consortium (LTWP). It aims to provide 300 MW of low-cost electrical power. With a projected cost of KES 70 billion (US $800 million), it would be the largest single private investment in Kenya's history.[3] This wind farm would allow Kenya to eliminate its thermal generating plants, saving it KES 15.6 billion (US $180 million) per year on imported fuel. The project would also stimulate the Kenyan economy by contributing KES 3 billion (US $35 million) every year in tax revenue, a total of KES 58.6 billion (US $673 million) over the entirety of the project. The project is estimated to create 2,500 temporary jobs during construction and 200 full-time jobs once the plant is operating.
Other wind power facilities in Kenya
| Plant | Capacity (MW) | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Ngong Wind I (Phase II) | 6.8 | Commissioned in April 2013 |
| Isiolo Wind | 150 | Commissioned in July 2013 |
| Marsabit Wind | 50 | Feasibility ongoing |
Source: KenGen
See also
- Energy in Kenya
- Geothermal power in Kenya
- Hydroelectric power in Kenya
- Lake Turkana Wind Power (LTWP)
- List of power stations in Kenya
- Ngong Hills Wind Farm
- Renewable energy in Kenya
References
- ^ http://www.iaea.org/nuclearenergy/nuclearknowledge/schools/NEM-school/2012/Japan/PDFs/week2/CR6_Kenya.pdf
- ^ "Ngong Hills wind farm". thewindpower.net. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
- ^ Xan Rice. "Kenya to build Africa's biggest windfarm". the Guardian. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
