Over the years, Kenya has made immense progress to decarbonise the electricity mix.
Today, more than 90 per cent of Kenyan electricity is produced from diversified renewable sources. In the years to come, the country might become a climate-resilient nation with a net-zero future.
To make this energy transition a success and anchor Kenya as a role model on the continent, the European Union is determined to increase its investments and support.
Shifting away from reliance to fossil fuel is an essential pillar of the fight against climate change. It will also help to reduce the dependency on fuel imports and their price swings, simultaneously contributing to economic growth and job creation.
On the ground, access to clean energy means better access to education, health, business opportunities and revenue generation for low-income households, notably for women and youth, and it reduces harmful indoor pollution linked to the use of charcoal or kerosene.
The challenge, however, is not only adding renewable energy generation capacity for green growth; it is also about achieving a socially and economically acceptable sustainable energy transition. Grid reinforcement to facilitate renewable integration and off-grid renewable solutions is therefore vital to allow equal access to affordable electricity for all Kenyans.
The European Union has been a long-standing partner to Kenya in support of the development of a sustainable energy sector. The EU brings great expertise and concrete solutions in the renewable field, relying in particular on its development cooperation and major companies.
Supporting the development of renewable and accessible energy is one of the key areas of intervention of the Team Europe Initiative Green Deal in Kenya. The development of the Baringo-Silali geothermal field, funded by Germany and implemented by KfW Development Bank, the Last Mile Connectivity project and the Green Mini Grid Programme funded by EU and implemented by French Development Agency (AFD) are just three of the most prominent examples.
The German-Kenyan geothermal programme in the northern Rift Valley encompasses the drilling of 15-20 geothermal wells that will provide 300 MW of renewable energy once finalised, while the Last Mile project co-financed by AFD, the EU and the European Investment Bank targets the connection of more than 280,000 people in 32 counties to existing and new transformers.
The Green Mini-Grids programme supports the development of private green mini-grids in order to allow 50,000 additional people to have access to clean electricity in marginalised areas, notably in Turkana.
European expertise is strongly present in Kenya through private companies. French and German companies are amongst those leading the contribution to the development of renewable energy capacity, be it as independent power producers or by expanding mini-grids or domestic and commercial solar solutions.
These companies are also committed to elevating the relevant know-how to their local partners by offering practice-oriented training and creating new sustainable jobs. A number of these companies will be present at the Kenya-European Union Business Forum today and tomorrow.
More than ever, a sustainable energy transition is needed. By strengthening its cooperation with Kenya, the EU is willing to keep fostering public and private investments for a clean, affordable and reliable energy for all.
-Mr Groth is German Ambassador to Kenya. Mr Suquet is French Ambassador to Kenya
