Deputy British High Commissioner Dr. Ed Barnett and Principal Secretary for Energy Alex Wachira on Wednesday launched three new clean energy interventions.
The interventions are aimed at boosting Kenya’s green transition, just days after President William Ruto and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a strategic climate partnership in London.
The new interventions are Clean Cooking, Integrated Energy Planning, and Off-Grid Solutions.
These are part of the UK’s Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (UK PACT) programme and are expected to fast-track access to clean energy, drive local innovation and enhance climate resilience across the country.
Speaking during the launch, Dr. Barnett said the UK was committed to practical climate action.
“Today marks another milestone in the UK–Kenya partnership on climate action, grounded not just in shared ambition, but in real, practical delivery. We are going far, together,” he said.
On his part, PS Wachira noted that the partnership is critical to achieving the government’s goal of universal electricity access by 2030.
“Our collaboration with the UK will strengthen clean energy entrepreneurship and accelerate electrification in both rural and urban areas through innovative off-grid solutions,” he said.
Clean Cooking will support local manufacturers and scale the adoption of clean technologies in homes across Kenya.
Integrated Energy Planning will embed community needs into national energy strategies, while Off-Grid Solutions will expand energy access and create opportunities for youth through tech-based models.
In Makueni County, UK PACT has already made an impact, with the county referral hospital now producing over 288 MWh of clean energy annually, saving Sh7 million and ensuring uninterrupted power for health services.
The UK is also supporting nature-based climate solutions in Kenya.
More than 400 members of the Community Forest Association have been trained in forest governance, benefit sharing, and sustainable land management.
They said that the initiative has further helped develop commercial forestry investment plans and piloted Kenya’s first REDD+ carbon registry, which will be linked to the national carbon trading system.
Technical assistance is being provided to Makueni County through partnerships with Strathmore Energy Research Centre (SERC) and the World Resources Institute (WRI).
They stated that the UK is also collaborating with World Agroforestry (ICRAF) to address policy and institutional gaps in forest and landscape restoration.
