The European Union will support green energy projects in Kenya to the tune of Sh2.7 billion.
The “Green Resilient Electricity System” project will channel funds through various power companies to support new green electricity generation and strengthen the transmission system in the country.
EU representative in Kenya, Martin Andersen, said they would work with the German Development Bank (KfW) on the project.
Speaking in Naivasha during the Integrated National Energy Planning (INEP) workshop, Andersen said the project is targeted at helping Kenya fully achieve use of green energy by 2030.
“This project will support new green electricity generation and strengthen the transmission system and help Kenya’s ambition for a 100% green electricity system by 2030,” he said.
He said the EU would also increase funding for the on-going Sustainable Energy Technical Assistance (SETA) programme to counties. governments.
Andersen added that the EU with other stakeholders is working on developing a Green Hydrogen roadmap and strategy for the country.
“Green Hydrogen is a new sector that can create new business opportunities for the country and be a major job creator mainly in fertiliser production," he said.
Andersen said that the EU has since 2014 provided more than Sh19 billion in grants towards the energy sector with plans to continue partnership under the new Global Gateway Initiative.
“The challenges we face in building sustainable energy systems are complex and many-sided and we cannot solve them alone,” he said.
The move comes a couple of days after the international body released Sh6 billion towards rehabilitation of the Olkaria I and IV power plants in Naivasha.
Under the project, the two geothermal plants will produce an extra 40mw as the government's moves in to phase out thermal power by 2030.
Ministry of Energy administration secretary Wycliffe Ogallo said integrated energy planning would guide development in the energy sector.
Ogallo said Kenya is determined to achieve 100 parent electricity accesses by 2030 as part of addressing the current energy supply in the country.
He said that for a long, provision of clean cooking energy had received less attention but this would now be addressed through INEP.
