President William Ruto, on Saturday February 18, heaped praises on the country’s clean power generation, which he claimed had placed Kenya as a global leader.
Addressing the committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Ruto revealed that Kenya had hit 92 per cent in clean power generation.
Besides the achievement, Ruto insisted that he was keen to attain 100 per cent clean grid by 2030. The clean energy produced in Kenya includes geothermal, solar, and wind energy.
“It is our intention to proceed beyond greening our grid, to export green energy directly, and also indirectly through green manufacturing,” Ruto stated.
However Ruto asked other African presidents to mobilise and attract adequate financing and investment to match Kenya’s investment in the clean energy sector.
“I am aware that several other African countries have embarked on a similar developmental trajectory, which has made them attractive to private sector investment in clean transport, sustainable agriculture, green building and urbanisation, and other enterprises,” Ruto stated.
“To achieve our priority agenda of eliminating energy poverty and powering a green, renewable-based economy as set out in Agenda 2063, it is imperative to mobilise and attract adequate financing and investment,” he added.
While defending Kenya’s investment in clean energy, Ruto insisted it was key to addressing the global challenge of climate change.
He further told African presidents and other dignitataries in Ethiopia that investment in clean energy was key to improving connectivity. Ruto raised concerns by revealing that over 970 million lived without clean cooking fuels and technologies.
To address the problem, Ruto asked African leaders to tap into natural resources, including those used to generate clean energy.
Kenya ascended as leader in clean energy through initiating policies, introducing incentives and leveraging existing clean energy sources, namely geothermal, solar and wind energy.
Kenya hosts Lake Turkana Wind Plant (LTWP), the largest wind farm on the African continent, with 365 turbines.
In geothermal investment, UK government expressed interest in building another plant in Menengai, Nakuru County.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE