Kenya’s efforts to become an economic giant and continually set the pace for other Sub Saharan Countries receives major influxes and is ceaseless.
It has been projected that the demand for electricity in the East African country is set to rise by 12% by the year 2030. If drastic measures are not taken by the government and other energy stakeholders in the country the future economy of the country will see a lot of setbacks.
The government of the republic of Kenya has embarked on projects that will boost the power injected in the power grid by alternative sources of energy. A major power line from Ethiopia is almost complete, the geothermal plant at Ol Karia and now the newest entry, Lake Turkana Wind Farm.
The Lake Turkana Wind Power Project which is expected to come online in 2016 is expected to produce 300 MW an equivalent of 20% of the currently installed electricity in the country presently. The extra power is projected to reduce black outs and power rations that hit the businesses and industries quite hard.
The $694 million project is the largest private investment yet will make the Lake Turkana Wind Farm the largest wind power project in Africa and intends to utilize 40,000 acres of land in the Northern region of Kenya.
The project pools together investors like the African Development bank, Aldwych International a British firm and Standard Bank. And according to analysts, the success of the Lake Turkana Wind Farm will restore the dwindling confidence of investors in Kenya.
This project is one among Kenya ambitious projects that is aimed at adding 5000 MW of power into its grid in the next three years. The farm is set to have 365, 52-meter blade that will be able to take full advantage of the high winds in the locality.
The Lake Turkana Wind Farm project is set to create over 2000 people temporarily and 200 people permanently with promises of the number increasing. It will also open up the remote area with setting up of infrastructure and social amenities. It is also expected to generate over $150 million a year in foreign currency savings upon completion.
The Lake Turkana Wind Farm is set to reduce the use of diesel powered generators to power blackouts. In addition to increasing the electricity supply it will reduce Kenya’s reliance on hydro-power that is affected by the climatic changes.
Consumers will see a reduction in the price of electricity and general goods price reduction as the cost of production will equivalently go down as the country’s power country will buy the electricity at a fixed price for 20 years.
