Isra-Mart srl : KenGen taps green energy for lucrative carbon market

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KenGen has launched a bid to tap electricity from solar power as it seeks to diversify its generating sources and shake off over-dependency on hydroelectric power, which is often vulnerable to rainfall shortages.

The decision to tap into solar power is also seen as a deliberate move to grab a piece of the growing carbon credits market that rewards producers of renewable energy to cut on emission of carbon dioxide, which has been blamed for global warming.

KenGen this week called for consultants to conduct feasibility studies on areas suitable for setting up solar energy farms.

Feasibility study

Kenya already has a solar power atlas developed in 2008 and the consultants will be required to do further investigations on the identified spots and identify the top five most suitable areas that can give maximum generation.

Makers of the Kenya solar atlas found that the country receives an estimated four to six kilowatt hours of solar energy per square metre per day, adequate for commercial exploration, said KenGen in its call to consultants.

“The feasibility study will also help KenGen evaluate available commercial solar technologies suitable for grid connected generation,” said the company.

The consultants will also be expected to carry out detailed design for a pilot grid connected plat of suitable capacity on the site that is ranked highest.

Hydro sources

KenGen generates 70 per cent of Kenya power needs, but its generation is dominated by hydro sources, averaging 64.5 per cent according to its own data, and this puts it and the country at a vulnerable position because hydro dams depend on rainfall and in case of rainfall failure of reduction, its business plan it disrupted and the country switches to the expensive thermal generated electricity.

Diversification of generation sources has seen it venture into wind energy that provides 5.5 MW of electricity and set to increase to 15.5MW next year and ongoing exploration of geothermal resources.

KenGen has been pursuing a deliberate green energy agenda that it expects to start paying dividends next year when it is paid the first tranche of its carbon credits of Sh300 million arising from its development of geothermal Olkaria II Unit 3 that generates 35MW of electricity.

It is also part of national policy to implement energy efficient projects to take advantage of the carbon market.