The World is gearing up towards powering its energy sources through renewable energy. As a result of this, the government of Kenya has been making conscious decisions towards moving into production and consumption of 100% renewable energy in the country. The government has been on the lookout for the best ways to motivate Kenyans to scale investment in renewable energy. In this article, therefore, we will define what renewable energy is, ways in which the government is motivating investment in this sector and what it has achieved so far.
What is renewable energy?
Renewable energy is mainly from sources that naturally replenish themselves such as wind and sunlight. This energy is also referred to as clean energy. This type of energy has been used since time immemorial to power up factories and homes.
In the past, however, it was very difficult to harness for large use because of how expensive its production would be. As the world becomes more innovative, countries have developed cost-effective technologies that can produce clean energy for large use.
It is due to this that Kenya is at the forefront of ensuring that it adopts and promotes the use of renewable energy. Last year in December, president Uhuru Kenyatta announced that Kenya bought a new 50-megawatt solar plant. This solar plant is expected to produce at least 2% of the country’s energy mix.
Investing in renewable energy in Kenya is important as it is one of the UNDP development goals. As a result of its efforts, Kenya is performing very well compared to other African countries.
Ways in which the government is Promoting Investment in the clean energy sector
Apart from purchasing a huge solar powerplant, the government is promoting investment in this sector through other various ways.
- Kenya has invested heavily in geothermal energy one major source of renewable energy in Kenya. While ranked against other countries in the world, Kenya ranks 9th worldwide as a result of its efforts.
- Creation of a transparent process and reduction of bottlenecks when it comes to issuing licenses and clearances needed in order to build an energy project. The energy and petroleum authority of Kenya has listed all the agencies that one needs to visit and what to expect from each.
What has other countries done in terms of renewable energy?
China is leading in terms of producing renewable solar energy. India takes third place after the US. Other countries like Spain, have already committed that in 2050 they will switch off completely to renewable sources of energy.
