Africa's leaders and stakeholders in the energy sector have been urged to take advantage of the vast natural resources to create sustainable energy solutions.
This is in the wake of increasing activities by the East African region and the continent in exploiting energy resources in solar, natural gas and petroleum oil.
With the world’s largest free trade area and a 1.2 billion-person market, the continent is also creating an entirely new development path, harnessing the potential of its resources and people.
Speaking during an energy conference in Mombasa, to mark World Energy Day, Kenya Ports Authority general manager engineering services Anderson Mtalaki noted that the continent had vast resource potential.
They include wind, solar hydro and geothermal energy which when sustainably exploited, Africa can be self-reliant in energy.
This, as the costs of exploiting renewable energy sources, continue to fall with Africa’s potential rising.
Between the years 2019 and 2020, solar and wind capacity in the continent has increased by 13 per cent and 11per cent, respectively, while hydropower soared at 25 per cent.
According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, governance and access to finance could see Sub-Saharan Africa meet up to 67 per cent of its energy needs by 2030, but with proper policies in place.
During his inaugural speech, President William Ruto said Kenya was committed to implementing a plan of transition to 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030.
Kenya's current energy mix predominantly consists of green energy with geothermal, hydro, wind, and solar accounting for roughly 81 per cent generation 2021.
The remainder is filled by thermal, biomass, and imports.
KPA is already implementing its Green Port Strategy by investing in solar energy and other renewable energy sources so that ships can plug in while at berth to reduce pollution.
In 2019, a team of Maritime technology experts conducted a feasibility study to determine whether the ports of Mombasa and Lamu can support ‘cold ironing’ for ships that dock at the two ports.
The study led by Captain Arne Loland from Norway was meant to advice whether ships calling into the two ports, can connect to shore power instead of using their inbuilt auxiliary power source when docked.
Cold ironing or shore connection, shore-to-ship power (SSP) or alternative maritime power (AMP) is the process of providing shore-side electrical power to a ship at berth while its main auxiliary engines are turned off.
It permits emergency equipment, refrigeration, cooling, heating, lighting and other equipment to receive continuous electrical power while the shiploads or unloads her cargo.
According to Maritime and Shipping PS Nancy Karigithu, it would allow overhaul of certain machinery in port which would not have been possible if they were to run their machinery.
According to IMO, ships contribute about two to three per cent of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in the world.
“This situation is also good for the crew health as they would have proper rest at ports. It is also cheaper to use shore power as this will reduce tear and wear in ships’ machinery, of course depending on local tariff price of electricity,” Karigithu, who is also a maritime sector expert notes.
Meanwhile in order to facilitate handling of the natural resources, KPA has constructed a modern bigger Oi Terminal at Kipevu, Mombasa.
The newly commissioned Kipevu Oil Terminal has facilities to handle Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and LPG imports for the region, and can three berth vessels with a capacity of 170,000 tonnes each.
“KPA has also continued to invest in cargo handling facilities to facilitate business and economic development in the region,” Mtalaki said.
