The role of geothermal and coal in Kenya’s electricity sector

Kenya is one of the fastest growing economies in Sub - Saharan Africa , with high anticipated economic increase rates and challenging flagship infrastructure projects . However , recent electrical energy demand prognosis were considerably decreased . Both in the scenario of quiet growth and eminent future electricity requirement emergence , it is cardinal that capacity planning for electricity contemporaries is carry out so that electrical energy supply touch demand . At the same time , sustainable development - related object and environmental targets demand to be attain . This admit Kenya ’s target area to reduce nursery gas ( GHG ) emission by 30 % below business as usual by 2030 , as foretell in the country ’s across the country Determined Contribution ( NDC ) to the Paris Agreement .

A major challenge for planners and policymakers in the electricity sphere is identifying the optimal compounding of electrical energy generation engineering within different load - constituent categories to attain the best catch at the low cost . This sketch aims at supporting decision making in the electricity sector by comparing the two chief king generation technology that are considered baseload electrical energy provision options in Kenya , namely , geothermic and ember , and the role that they can recreate in Kenya ’s future electrical energy supplying mix . This role is find out by a phone number of gene , let in technological considerations , resource availableness , environmental characteristic , economics , and other issues that may act as drivers or stupefy barrier or risks to the growth of this generator . Electricity sector provision in Kenya relies on a 20 - year rolling masterplan for power provision , the latest being the 2017 - 2037 Least Cost Power Development Plan ( LCPDP ) , which set a well-defined direction for the growing of the sector and thus serve as a chief source for this study .

While Kenya has a foresighted history of developing geothermal resources , coal has not yet been work . Kenya has a gamey geothermal resource potential of around 10,000 MW along the Kenyan Rift Valley . The current install geothermal capacitance in Kenya is 745 MW , with most of it in the Olkaria fields . However , the Government of Kenya plans to build two coal power plants over the next 30 geezerhood : one in Lamu , a 981 MW mogul plant divided into three unit of 327 MW each , to be commissioned by 2024 , and a 960 MW index plant in Kitui , which is schedule for 2034 - 36 . While the industrial plant in Lamu will unravel on imported coal , the plant in Kitui is predicted to use domestic coal .

The development of these two generation technology will have a considerable wallop on the electricity sphere in Kenya , affecting the multiplication costs , affordability of electrical energy , and overall flexibility and dependability of electrical energy supply .