Kenya building owners warned over solar heating systems

By MACHARIA KAMAU

NAIROBI, KENYA: The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has threatened to take legal action on property developers that have failed to incorporate solar systems within new buildings that they have put up in the recent past.

Two years ago, the energy industry regulator published regulations that made it mandatory for buildings with a hot water consumption rate of more than 100 litres a day to incorporate solar water heating systems in their building plans.

Owners of older buildings were given a five-year period within which they must install solar systems within their buildings.

ERC noted that developers have been putting up new buildings but failed to incorporate solar systems and now said it would do a survey on new buildings to establish buildings that do not have solar water heating systems. “New buildings coming up are complying with the regulations but there are a number that have failed… we will do a survey to establish the developers that have failed to install solar water heating systems,” said Robert Oimeke director renewable energy at ERC.

COMPLIANCE

“ERC is working with Kenya Power… we have communicated to them not to connect any new buildings to the grid until they are compliant with the regulations,” he added.

Mr Oimeke said owners of buildings put up before the regulations came into effect mid 2012 have until May 2017 to install solar power systems on their property. Other than commercial buildings, institutions like hospitals, schools, children’s homes and hotels will also be required to install solar systems.

“We are running a campaign to sensitise property developers and architects to incorporate the solar energy systems when designing a new building… we are also sensitising owners of older buildings to start planning early and have the systems in place before May 2017,” he said.

To ensure that only genuine solar systems are installed, the ERC also published a set of regulations that require solar equipment suppliers to be licensed by the regulator.

ERC also requires large energy consumers to carry out energy audits at least once every three years.

The regulations are aimed at complementing energy saving initiative  being implemented among large-scale energy users .

Kenya currently has an electricity generation capacity of 1, 600 megawatts (MW) against a peak demand of 1, 300MW, which creates a scenario of constrained supply against rising demand.

POWER SHORTAGE

A senior manager with Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen), last week warned that Kenya could face an acute power shortage in coming months due to the ongoing harsh weather that has seen water levels at various hydropower stations drop.

The official who declined to be named said water levels in hydropower stations such as Gitaru, Kindaruma and Kiambere, were dropping at alarming rates.