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News > Kenya

Kenya Unveils Continent's Largest Clean Energy, Wind Power Farm

  • Three hundred sixty-five turbines spin carelessly in the wind along Lake Turkana.

    Three hundred sixty-five turbines spin carelessly in the wind along Lake Turkana. | Photo: Reuters

Published 20 July 2019
Opinion

The project aims to make electricity more affordable for the general public, President Uhuru Kenyatta says.

Africa’s largest wind power farm is launching in Kenya in an effort to lower energy costs and dependency on fossil fuels and reach the nation’s goal of 100 percent green energy by 2020.

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Three hundred sixty-five turbines, known as the Lake Turkana Wind Power (LTWP) now spin ceaselessly in the wind along the nation's Lake Turkana that borders both Kenya and Ethiopia. President Uhuru Kenyatta explained Friday that the project aims to make electricity more affordable for the general public. The turbines are expected to contribute 310 megawatts of power to the national grid, or 13 percent more energy than the current rate.

During the farm’s launch, Kenyatta said, "Today, we again raised the bar for the continent as we unveil Africa's single largest wind farm.

"Kenya is without doubt on course to be a global leader in renewable energy."

Renewable energy, such as hydro and geothermal, powers 70 percent of Kenya’s energy sources— more than three times the global average.

LTWP chairperson, Mugo Kibati, who oversees the farm said, “Today marks an important milestone in the country's steady march towards achieving self-sufficiency in power production.”

Kenya’s progress in pursuit of clean energy will help the continent become more self sufficient. However, sub-Saharan Africa must invest at least US$300 billion to make universal electricity accessible by 2030, the International Energy Agency said.

South Africa and Ethiopia, which have installed several wind farms between them both, are also on track to obtaining a large part of their power from the winds that blow off the Indian Ocean.

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