Energy Strategy Reviews (Jul 2024)
Renewable energy status and uptake in Kenya
Abstract
With the increasing threat from global warming, renewable energy has been considered an alternative in several forums. Kenya is an emerging economy endowed with renewable energy resources due to its geographical location. This review aims to identify policies guiding the extraction, utilization, challenges, and projection of renewable energy. A systematic approach was used in the study by considering relevant journal articles and other gray documents such as Energy Acts and reports from international and national organizations on renewable energy. The findings show that the energy matrix in Kenya comprises 80 % fossil fuels, 18 % renewable energy and 2 % coal. Over 85 % of the total population utilizes wood biomass, with 86 % in rural areas and 21 % in urban areas. Over 70 % of the Kenyan landmass is Arid and Semi-Arid, which have potential renewable energy. Electricity production in Kenya is produced by approximately 90 % renewable energy but has a target of 100 % transition by 2020. KenGen and IPPs generate 62.97 % and 35.95 % of the electricity generated, respectively. Geothermal energy in Kenya is the highest source of electricity at approximately 45 %. The current amount of electricity connected to the grid is 2708 MW in 2021, with projections of 4763 MW, 6638 MW and 9790 MW in the low, reference and vision scenarios, respectively. By 2022, the percentage of Kenyan who had access to electricity was 76.89 %. It is estimated that, by 2100, the population in Kenya will reach between 80 and 220 million according to projection scenarios. An increase in populations leads to a greater energy demand, which is implicated in climate change. Based on the RCPs, the energy demand outlook shows that RCP2.6 will increase by 2–3 times, while RCP8.5 will increase by 6–8 times the current energy demand. The challenges experienced by renewable energy include inadequate financing, implementation hindrances, inadequate infrastructure and technological challenges, outdated policies, overambitious projects, landscapes affecting transmission, corruption, high operational costs, and energy stacking affecting the process. Regular reviews on energy policies and innovations provide data that can be used to strategize future energy equity and access while maintaining environmental sustainability.
