- During your tenure as CEO of the Kenya Renewable Energy Association, what were some of your most significant accomplishments?
- Successfully advocating for the reinstatement of tax exemptions for renewable energy technologies into the Finance Act 2021/22
- Successfully filing a petition to the high court to get a stay on application of retroactive taxes on solar water heating companies
- Developing a strategy for management of electronic waste from off grid solar products and setting up the Electronic Waste Producer Responsibility Organization of Kenya as founding director.
- Setting up the East Africa Renewable Energy Federation together with counterparts from Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi
- Setting up bilateral learning exchanges with the Renewable energy federation of Germany
- With many cities and towns in Kenya struggling with large amounts of waste in dumpsites, do you believe that waste-to-energy technologies could provide a viable solution to this issue?
Yes, All ”waste” can ultimately be converted back into energy. What is required is incentive based mechanisms for collection and separation of waste. More than 60% of urban waste is organic. Organic waste can be converted into biogas in a biodigester and used to produce methane, which can be used for cooking, as fuel option to diesel and petrol and also for electricity generation. About 20 % of the waste is plastic comprising polymers which can be converted into diesel Agricultural waste can be converted into briquettes and pellets and used for fuel in biomass boilers.
- Kenya has experienced several nationwide power outages recently. What strategies should be implemented to address and prevent these blackouts?
The moratorium on development of power projects needs to be lifted. Efficiency should be used as the guiding criteria for development of power plants finding a mix that gives reliable power at the most competitive terms that ensure a cost reduction to the consumer, an increase in profits for developers and tax revenue collection for the government. The Super Energy Service Company approach should be used to identify and address the technical and commercial losses at KPLC without an upfront investment by the government and paying for the investment from the increased sales of electricity. This should be done in a transparent competitive bidding.
- As the world increasingly shifts towards electric mobility, what steps should Kenya take to effectively capitalize on this emerging sector for economic growth?
Kenya should step up initiatives to support the transition to electric mobility. Tax exemptions should be given to encourage the purchase of electric vehicles and reduce the initial high cost to the consumers. The private sectors should be invited to build the charging infrastructure needed for an increased fleet of electric vehicles. Local production of energy for electric mobility will save in foreign exchange used to buy petroleum products. Local assembly of electric vehicles and use of local content will also stimulate economic growth while also reducing carbon emissions.
- What strategies should Africa adopt to fully leverage its abundant renewable energy sources?
To fully leverage its abundant renewable energy sources, Africa should enhance policy frameworks, invest in infrastructure, encourage private sector involvement, and focus on capacity building and training. Regional cooperation and productive community-based projects should be prioritized, supported by sustainable financing models and a strong focus on research and development. Public awareness and engagement are essential to drive the transition to renewable energy, ensuring that the benefits are widely understood and embraced.
- Given that electricity costs in Kenya are among the highest in Africa, do you think this poses a barrier to achieving SDG 7, which focuses on affordable and clean energy?
The high cost of electricity is a barrier to access if it cannot be affordable to a growing section of the population. In order for electricity to be accessible and affordable, it needs o be efficient. The current system is highly inefficient and marred with corruption scandals which go on to make the cost high and affordable. This can be addressed by embracing energy as a service approach, where the inefficiencies are used to finance the cost of improving delivery and cost of electricity to the consumer, with the financing being paid for from achieving cost savings to the consumer.
- The promotion of decentralized energy systems is gaining traction among industry experts. Could this trend be indicative of deeper issues within the national grid system?
The current structure of the grid is not able to reach many communities that are marginalized by distance from the existing grid. The Kenya National Electrification Strategy includes decentralized distribution systems such as mini grids and stand a lone solar systems as part for the strategy towards reaching universal access to electricity by 2030. Modern utilities are service oriented in a competitive environment, where the consumer has options fro supply of electricity. The same principles used for decentralized distribution can be applied to the main utility grid with real competitive options for the consumer and the role of he utility being to ensure the movement of power and not buying and selling electricity as is with the current system.
- Although Kenya generates nearly 90% of its electricity from renewable sources, the lack of energy storage systems leads to wasted power. What measures are needed to establish an efficient energy storage infrastructure in Kenya?
In order to reduce wastage, there needs to be a balance between supply and demand for electricity. Energy storage is still quite expensive and if not matched to demand and supply can actually increase the cost of electricity. To avoid this, it is important to properly map the demand for electricity, so that the supply meets demand as closely as possible. Electric mobility at a large scale can be used for energy storage to bridge the gap between when there is excess supply and low demand, such as between midnight and 6 AM.
- As a leading figure in the renewable energy sector in Kenya and across Africa, how are you helping to guide and support the upcoming generation of professionals in this field?
On a personal level, I am mentoring many young professionals in developing their capacity and ability to set up businesses and initiatives that can address the challenges and opportunities across different countries and regions. I have also been involved in setting up a renewable energy federation in East Africa to build on regional cooperation and creating regional markets for energy solutions.
