The Kenya Electricity Generating Company has received more than two million carbon credits from its Olkaria I, Units four and five Geothermal Power plant.
The additional 2,040,515 Carbon Emission Reductions were issued by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, bringing total carbon credits to 2,591,496 tonnes.
KenGen managing director Rebecca Miano said the UNFCCC’s issuance of the carbon credits is an affirmation of company’s commitment to addressing climate change.
She went on to state that KenGen has set up a dedicated team that is spearheading environmental sustainability to help combat climate change.
"We have developed and registered six Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Projects comprising of Olkaria II Geothermal Expansion Project, Redevelopment of Tana Hydro Power Station Project, Optimisation of Kiambere Hydro Power Project, Olkaria IV Geothermal Project, Olkaria I Units 4 and 5 Geothermal Project and Ngong Wind," Miano said.
She added that the projects will contribute to offsetting approximately 1.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
Miano also noted that the Olkaria IV Plant is currently undergoing a review process, which could see the issuance of an additional 2,025,813 CERs.
On July 6, KenGen announced it had received a total of 550,981 carbon credits from which it is expected to earn about Sh119 million from its sale at the Nairobi Stock Exchange.
The CDM projects contribute to national sustainable development by providing clean energy which ensures improved environmental quality, positive health impacts and increased productivity.
KenGen shifted its focus to production of green energy and currently more than 86 per cent of the energy produced by the company is from clean sources; wind, hydro and geothermal.
CDM was developed as part of the output of a global concern to contribute to climate change mitigation and to foster sustainable development for non-industrialised countries.
Edited by CM
