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Citizens Decry Fuel Prices Hitting Above Ksh 200

by Kwabe Ben
written by Kwabe Ben

Kenyan citizens woke up decrying the highest recorded fuel prices in recent memory, as announced by Kenya’s regulator. This turned out to be quite infuriating for the citizens, who claim that their livelihoods have become increasingly expensive.

EPRA announced an increase in the prices of Super Petrol prices have now increased by Ksh.16.96, Diesel by Ksh.21.32, while Kerosene climbs the highest by Ksh.33.13 per litre.

The prices shot to the highest Overnight the cost of petrol rose to about 212 shillings ($1.40; £1.20) per liter in the capital Nairobi – with the prices of different types of fuel rising by about 9% to 20%.

CS Chirchir, speaking on Friday when he appeared before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Energy, stated that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has cut down its global oil production by about 3.6 million barrels daily, thereby affecting the availability and pricing of the commodity.

Kenyans took to X formerly renowned as Twitter lamenting the issues of fuel prices growing further as they pointed out that this would in turn lead to tougher times for the local mwananchi.

Several Twitter fans have responded to the increase by lamenting how the government isn’t considerate of the living costs that the citizens have been decrying for a while now.

CS Chirchir’s remarks followed similar sentiments by his Investments, Trade and Industry counterpart Moses Kuria who asked the public to tighten their belts and be ready for even higher prices at the pump in the coming months.

According to Kuria, fuel prices in the country will continue to rise by Ksh 10 every month until February next year.

“Global Crude Prices are on an upward trajectory. For planning purposes expect pump prices to go up by Ksh 10  every month till February,” Kuria posted on his official X account

Due to the shift in prices, it now means Super Petrol in Nairobi will now be retailing at Ksh.211.64, Diesel at Ksh.200.99, and Kerosene will be Ksh.202.61 per litre.

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yes
Energy

YES – Youth Energy Summit – Empowering Future Energy Leaders

by Kwabe Ben
written by Kwabe Ben

The youth energy summit YES coming up for the second year after its launch in 2022 in Brussels is filled with prospects for the future of the youth as they are handed the baton and involved in insightful conversations, and networks around the energy space.

YES, plays a vital role as it brings together a generation of early career professionals, entrepreneurs, students, and educators in championing the acceleration of access to reliable energy across Africa as it points out their significance in this journey.

The generation is characterized by boundless energy, a thirst for knowledge, and an eagerness to drive change hence the goal by YES to reach up to 100 million people across Africa is achievable by entailing the youth.

The summit is offering the youth within this space vast opportunities as it opens up doors for key partnerships across corporates, foundations, NG0s, universities as well sector initiatives. It’s a platform that enables exploring perceptions of the youth about the future, guidance on how they can reach their potential, and filling the gaps in the shortage of energy with their skills through the use of educators and professionals in the sector.

The youth holding more potential of impacting the energy transition can use such spaces to learn more about the essentials of clean energy in ensuring that this energy transition can be effectively adopted and effected.

Zeddy Bariti, communication specialist of Kenya the Power Dialogue, says that as the continent stands at crossroads of progress and sustainability, the continent’s youth hold the key to unlocking a future powered by competitively priced and reliable sustainable energy, innovation, and inclusive growth.

YES, a forum of 2023 had a partner organization Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) onboard as the event’s first foundational partner. GEAPP is an alliance of philanthropists, local entrepreneurs, governments, technology enablers, policymakers, and finance partners who support developing countries in the shift to clean energy adoption.

According to Joseph Ng’ang’a, VP for Africa GEAPP, young entrepreneurs are at most times excluded from all aspects of the energy transition value chain which is a major hindrance adding to the disproportionate barriers they face to educational opportunities and projects financing and decent jobs.

GEAPP with a vision of reducing carbon emissions, expansion of clean energy access to a billion people, as well as enabling creation of 150 million new jobs aligns with the goals of the Africa Energy Forum and YES. Thus so much thrill and gladness in being a foundational partner of the Youth Energy Summit YES.

“It’s urgent that the young people are trained and supported to access opportunities and accelerate growth. It’s vital to unlocking the abundant potential of young entrepreneurs who will lead the energy transition and realize a more equal and sustainable world,” said Mr. Joseph Ng’ang’a of GEAPP.

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EnergyEnvironment

Kesses Opens 40MW Solar Facility in Kenya

by Kwabe Ben
written by Kwabe Ben

Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) company, the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF), the Standard Bank Group acting through Standard Bank of South Africa Limited, Stanbic Bank Kenya, and their project partner, Alten Kenya Solarfarms (Alten), today announced that the 40 MW Kesses solar photovoltaic plant in Kenya is now operational.

The facility is providing thousands of people with a clean, renewable power source, contributing to the achievement of SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), – creating up to 400 construction jobs, with a further 15 permanent positions for local employees during operations.

According to Sine Zulu, Investment Specialist, from Ninety One, fund manager of the Emerging Africa
Infrastructure Fund, Kesses in action adds to further cementing Kenya’s status as a global renewable energy leader. Stating that Kenya is the ninth African country where EAIF has supported renewable energy projects, underlining the Fund’s status as a lender of choice for renewable energy companies investing in Africa.

“Africa leads the world in solar energy potential, and more projects of this type are needed to ensure we meet the continent’s growing demand for energy without compromising GHG emissions,” said Sine Zulu.

Kesses is a significant milestone for EAIF, which has now supported green electricity generation in nine African countries. The Fund is approaching 1000 MW renewable generation capacity across its portfolio.

Expanding investment in clean, affordable power solutions is an important part of PIDG’s strategy, as the Group aims to increase supply in Africa’s most underserved regions with an increasing focus on renewables and off-grid technologies.

Emphasis on expansion was remarked on by Sherrill Byrne, Executive Energy, and Infrastructure Finance from Standard Bank, saying that Standard Bank is committed to driving renewable energy growth across the African continent aligned to our sustainability goals and commitments.

” Standard Bank is one of the leading lenders to the Kenyan IPP sector and we were delighted to partner with EAIF in bringing the Kesses solar project to operation. Alten is a long-term client of Standard Bank having
supported them in Namibia as well,” added Sherill.

The US$87 million solar plant is located near Eldoret, which has the largest population concentration in Kenya’s Rift Valley Province. The town is a center for local government, higher education, business and financial services, textile manufacturing, agribusiness, and sports tourism.

Based on Jorge Hernández Moro’s assertion, Head of Asset Management at Alten, Kenya is a global leader in renewable energy generation, with over 80% of electricity coming from renewable sources.

By supplying clean, renewable power to Eldoret and the surrounding communities, Kesses is driving a significant boost in productivity for the local economy. 100% of the electricity output is being delivered to the national grid through a 20-year take-or-pay Power Purchase Agreement between Alten and Kenya Power and Lighting Company, the national energy utility.

“Projects such as Kesses will push the country towards achieving 100% clean energy generation by 2030, helping sustain Kenya’s economic progress and accelerate pandemic-induced losses, global supply chain disruption, and rising inflation. This contributes to a more sustainable and inclusive future for the region,” added Jorge Hernandez.

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Renewable Energy Solutions Key to Unlocking Africa’s Growth Potential
Energy

Renewable Energy Solutions Key to Unlocking Africa’s Growth Potential

by Miriam Dangasuk
written by Miriam Dangasuk

The US First Lady Jill Biden’s visit to Africa this week to discuss climate change and food insecurity is timely. Africa faces serious environmental challenges, including land degradation, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and extreme vulnerability to climate change.

Indeed, the continent is most vulnerable to climate change and the least equipped to cope. However, addressing climate change will almost be impossible until the world is ready to deal with the environmental and development inequality challenges. For instance, the United States has emitted over a quarter of all greenhouse gases since the 1750s, while the entire continent of Africa has emitted only about 3 percent.

With this challenge not expected to end in the foreseeable future, we must now turn to alternative power solutions. One way of bridging the gaps is scaling up investment in renewable energy, which offers a cost-effective solution for providing communities and businesses in Africa with low-cost, reliable, and clean power—particularly in regions with no existing power grids.

In its report, Africa 2030: Roadmap to a renewable energy future, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), states that the world is increasingly embracing modern renewable energy technologies. For many years, these technologies have been supported to address environmental and energy security concerns and are now seen as the most economic option.

Globally, renewables are changing business models and creating opportunities not only for power plant operators and end customers, but also for other system participants in the smart energy sector. Solar is an important renewable energy source, many organizations and countries have invested in it as a key alternative to fossil fuels.

The total amount of energy irradiated from the sun to the earth’s surface is enough to provide more than 10,000 times the annual global energy consumption. Moreover, the cost of solar energy is less than that of conventional generation if the indirect costs of fossil fuels are included, such as environmental and health costs. Yet these benefits remain largely untapped; most energy decisions taken today overlook solar power as a modular technology that can be rapidly deployed to generate electricity close to the point of consumption. In addition, the implementation of sustainable energy solutions is beset with a myriad of challenges, key among them being the initial investment required to implement renewable energy projects.

The good news is that the African Development Bank and partners in the new fund will continue to provide growth capital and infrastructure equity to support renewable and sustainable energy and focus on decarburization, decentralization and digitalization as the key climate mitigation and energy transition strategies.

In South Sudan, the National Environment Policy aims to ensure the protection and conservation of the environment and sustainable management of renewable natural resources. South Sudan has about 8 hours of sunshine per day with a solar potential 436 W/m2 /year. The country has demonstrated the potential to work with a wide range of stakeholders and support new clean- energy projects and sustainable peace.

 

While renewable energy has significant long-term benefits, it requires a significant upfront investment, which can be a barrier for some companies. To address this challenge, Trinity Energy has partnered with a range of stakeholders, including governments, NGOs, and the private sector, to leverage funding and resources to implement renewable energy projects across Africa. For example, the company has partnered with the South Sudan Electricity Corporation to increase the current 6 MW generating capacity with a 10 MW solar power plant which will supply the city and nearby counties.

It is noteworthy that without a stable and sustainable source of energy, our economy cannot grow and households will continue to suffer. We all have a responsibility to act swiftly and to support local businesses trying to create a better future by providing simple but effective solutions accessible to everyone. It will not happen in isolation but through collaboration and partnership with players across the public and private sectors.

One crucial step is to bring a far broader range of actors into the sector, particularly in the investment finance, marketing, and retail areas. At the same time, there is a need to proactively encourage its uptake and lobby for the development of a local industrial base. Above all, African governments need to identify energy security as the single most important challenge that must be prioritized and addressed effectively to accelerate economic growth.

Miriam Dangasuk is the Operations Manager at Trinity Energy, South Sudan

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KenGen
BusinessEnergy

KenGen Records 11 Pc Revenue Jump To Ksh 27.5 billion

by Kwabe Ben
written by Kwabe Ben

Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC (KenGen) records an increment in their total revenue recording 11% that’s Ksh 27.5 billion slightly varying from the 2021 Ksh.24.7 billion.

The increase in revenue has been attributed to a rise in energy sales resulting from expanded geothermal production capacity.

Not forgetting the prolonged drought that has tremendously affected its hydro generation capacity due to the low water levels caused by inadequate rainfall across multiple seasons. Usually, such a scenario would elicit power rationing within the country but that hasn’t been the case as the geothermal of Olkaria has boosted it.

“In previous years, we would be having serious scenarios of power rationing affecting the entire country at a time like now when the rains have failed,” said KenGen Acting Managing Director and CEO – Abraham Serem.

With the recently launched Olkaria I Additional Unit 6 geothermal power plant, generating 86MW, there has been a growth in electricity unit sales from 4,006GWhs in 2021 to 4,200GWhs by the end of December 2022.

According to Mr. Serem, KenGen’s geothermal-led strategy and investments in geothermal development have proven essential in lessening power rationing in the country, which was a common occurrence in previous years. Further expressing confidence in the company’s growth citing the work put in towards stabilizing the national grid.

“As KenGen we remain focused on our strategic initiatives, which include diversification of our revenue streams, innovation, and cost optimization. Today, our electricity is the most competitively priced and this has continued to cushion Kenyans from rising power prices. We are confident that we will continue to deliver value to our shareholders and Kenyans going forward,” added Mr. Serem.

Expressing prospects in the NSE-listed company set to begin the refurbishment of the Olkaria I geothermal power plant, which is forty years old, as planned. A move that he reveals will increase its capacity from 45MW to 63MW, as well as enhance the Olkaria I Additional Units 4 & 5 and Olkaria IV, which together currently generate 300MW, to a total of 340MW.

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Fossil-free
Energy

Fossil-free Energy is Africa’s Future – Dont Gas Africa

by Kwabe Ben
written by Kwabe Ben

At the onset of the African Union Summit kicking off in Ethiopia, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) across Africa are calling on the African Union to play a more ambitious role toward a fossil-free energy future in Africa.

CSOs are now urging the leaders attending the forum on the vices of expanding gas production in Africa, citing that this would lead to increasing risks of stranded assets and expensive energy, encouraging foreign ownership of African resources, creating fewer jobs, and harming health and livelihoods across the continent.

Motivated by the “Fossil Fuelled Fallacy Report” of COP27 by Dont Gas Africa, which states ‘dash for gas’ is nothing more than a short-sighted strategy to profit from the energy crisis, where the fossil fuel industry has misappropriated the language of climate justice in order to legitimize a vast expansion of fossil fuels across Africa.

“African land is not a gas station. Millions are losing their homes, don’t have access to food, have their health threatened, and are slipping into higher levels of extreme poverty because of the fossil fuel industry. Instead of selling away fossil fuel extraction rights to big multinational companies, African leaders should invest in clean, renewable energies that will directly benefit people across the continent without damaging their health,” emphasized Campaigns Lead for Don’t Gas Africa, Dean Bhekumuzi Bhebhe.

The AU summit intends to call for a rapid transition to people-centered, clean, renewable energy for the continent and the whole world, presenting an opportunity for the continent to expand energy access and accelerate the transition to clean, renewable energy.

However, the CSOs point out a concern when it comes to reliance on fossil fuels consideration based on a proposal put forward by energy and infrastructure Ministers for Africa. Civil society organizations call on the African Union to reject fossil gas production as a bedrock for Africa’s energy future and to also put an end to fossil-fuel-induced energy apartheid in Africa, which has left 600 million Africans without energy access.

Calling on the need to heed the urgency especially faced with climate change, shift away from dependence on fossil fuels, and leapfrog towards a renewable energy future that is cleaner, safer, and more economic.

“We urge African leaders to co-create a just development path together with African people that are clean, pan-African, and champions people’s regenerative economies away from fossil fuels. We should not allow further colonial and extractive systems to put Africa on a destructive path of fossil fuel extraction,” said Lorraine Chiponda, Coordinator for Africa Climate Movements Building Space.

Emphasizing that a rapid and just transition to renewable energy is a golden opportunity for Africa to reinvigorate its development and achieve its Agenda 2063 vision. Stating that Africa should not be misled by three false promises of fossil gas: i) jobs, ii) energy access, and iii) renewable transition: i) On Jobs, the gas expansion will not lead to a boom in jobs.

According to the CSOs fossil fuel production has insufficiencies like:

⦁ Will not address the Committee’s stated aims relating to energy access and transition.
⦁ This is inconsistent with the Paris Agreement’s warming limit of 1.5 °C and the existing African Common Position on Climate Change.
⦁ Risks levels of global heating with catastrophic consequences for Africa; and
⦁ Is inconsistent with Africa’s wider development objectives, putting Agenda 2063 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals at risk.

 

According to Landry Ninteretse, 350Africa.org Regional Director, there is no place for the expansion of fossil gas in the energy transition in Africa, as it would crowd out resources for renewable energy and dull any hopes for the transition. Further urging African leaders to reject the push for gas production in Africa and instead galvanize resources from developed nations to support renewable, community-centered, and accessible clean energy systems vital to achieving a just energy transition in the region.

“We’re in a climate emergency that is causing increasingly devastating climate impacts, particularly in Africa where adaptation capacity is still low. African countries cannot bear the world’s challenges on their own. This calls for urgent action to build resilience to climate challenges through the abandonment of fossil fuels and a just energy transition to renewable energy,” added Landry Ninteretse.

Moreover, Courtney Morgan, Campaigner for African Climate Reality Project added that Gas is a bridge to nowhere and will not address energy access challenges on our continent. Decision-makers and policymakers should be supporting sustainable solutions; for a fossil-free Africa.

“The Africa we want is one where the energy system is clean and sustainable and brings real access to African people. The neocolonial gas project on our continent will not serve our needs and will exacerbate the climate crisis, we need African-led sustainable solutions,” said Courtney Morgan.

 

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Renewables Overtake Fossil Fuels Record 22% Of EU’s Electricity
EnergyOil & Gas

Renewables Overtake Fossil Fuels Recording 22% Of EU’s Electricity

by Brian Yatich
written by Brian Yatich

Wind and solar energy have overtaken fossil gas to generate a record 22% of EU electricity in 2022 according to the European Electricity Review.

The report, published Tuesday by energy think tank – Ember indicated that Coal power share increased by just 1.5 percentage points to generate 16% of EU electricity in 2022, with year-on-year falls in the last four months of 2022 as Europe prevented a threatened return to coal power in the wake of the 2022 energy crisis.

Europe weathered the triple crisis

The analysis by Ember reveals that Europe faced a triple crisis in the electricity sector in 2022. Just as Europe scrambled to cut ties with its biggest supplier of fossil gas, it faced the lowest levels of hydro and nuclear in at least two decades, which created a deficit equal to 7% of Europe’s total electricity demand in 2022.

Record growth in wind and solar helped cushion the hydro and nuclear deficit. Solar generation rose the fastest, growing by a record 39 TWh (+24%) in 2022—almost twice its previous record—which helped to avoid €10 billion in gas costs. Twenty EU countries set new solar records in 2022.

Lower electricity demand also helped reduce the deficit. EU electricity demand dropped by 7.9% in the last quarter of 2022 compared to the same period the previous year (-56 TWh), close in scale to the 9.6% fall (-61 TWh) witnessed in Q2 2020 when lockdowns were first imposed across much of Europe. Mild weather was a deciding factor, but affordability pressures likely played a role, alongside energy efficiency improvements and citizens acting in solidarity to cut energy demand in a time of crisis.

Just one-sixth of the nuclear and hydro deficit was met by coal. Coal generation rose by 7% (+28 TWh). As a result, EU power sector emissions rose by 3.9% (+26 MtCO2) in 2022 compared to 2021. It could have been much worse: wind, solar, and a fall in electricity demand prevented a much larger return to coal. In context, coal’s rise was not substantial: coal power remained below 2018 levels and added only 0.3% to global coal generation.

Coal power in the EU fell in all four of the final months of 2022, down 6% year-on-year. The 26 coal units placed on emergency standby for winter ran at an average of just 18% capacity. Despite importing 22 million tonnes of extra coal throughout 2022, the EU only used a third of it. Countries are as committed to phasing out coal as they were before the crisis.

Perhaps most surprisingly, gas generation was almost unchanged (+0.8%) in 2022 compared to 2021, despite record-high prices. Fossil gas generated 20% of EU electricity in 2022, up from 19% the previous year. However, this trend is expected to change drastically in the coming year.

Gas generation set for a record fall in 2023

The latest indications from the industry suggest that in 2023, Europe’s transition to wind and solar will accelerate in response to the energy crisis and hydro and French nuclear will recover. As a result, Ember estimates that fossil generation could plummet by 20% in 2023, double the previous record from 2020. Coal generation will fall, but gas generation, which is expected to remain more expensive than coal until at least 2025, will fall the fastest.

According to Mohamed Adow, Climate justice advocate and director of energy and climate think-tank, Power Shift Africa, he indicated that it has been clear from the start that the dash for African gas is superficial, and Europe has known this all along.

“This report should be an eye-opener for Africa – that the very people misleading the continent into producing gas for their needs, are working on the sidelines to shift to renewables at scale. Unfortunately, in its rush to invest in gas for export, Africa will shortchange itself. Africa risks being late to the party again instead of being a frontrunner in the move to a greener, and sustainable future. We can’t let this happen.”

 EU wind and solar generated more than gas for the first time

Share of electricity generation (%)

Year Gas Coal Wind and solar Hydro and nuclear Other
2000 12.61 30.45 0.81 46.04 10.07
2001 13.1 29.32 0.96 46.68 9.94
2002 13.7 29.91 1.3 44.63 10.46
2003 15.01 30.3 1.56 43.24 9.88
2004 16.05 29.12 2.02 43.62 9.18
2005 17.86 28.06 2.41 42.43 9.25
2006 18.48 27.82 2.76 41.72 9.21
2007 19.47 28.08 3.52 39.98 8.97
2008 20.71 25.53 4.07 40.82 8.86
2009 20.13 25 4.93 41.01 8.93
2010 19.98 23.77 5.53 41.56 9.16
2011 19.19 24.9 7.3 39.34 9.28
2012 16.68 25.55 8.86 39.35 9.55
2013 14.39 25.24 10.16 40.66 9.54
2014 12.64 24.5 11.19 41.82 9.85
2015 13.81 24.54 12.67 39.07 9.92
2016 16.12 22.77 12.71 38.47 9.94
2017 17.96 21.83 14.36 36.01 9.84
2018 16.86 20.45 14.89 37.98 9.82
2019 19.8 15.67 17.07 37.73 9.73
2020 20.36 12.79 19.69 37.4 9.77
2021 19.16 14.54 19.1 37.5 9.69
2022 19.91 15.99 22.28 32.04 9.79

 

Chart 2: A big fall in fossil generation is expected in 2023

Year-on-year change in electricity generation (TWh)

2022 (actual) 2023 (projected)
Nuclear -119 0
Hydro -66 +40
Wind & Solar +72 +86
Coal & Gas +33 -211
Demand change -79 -84

 

Karimi Kinoti, Policy and Campaigns Director, Christian Aid said that it is encouraging to see the EU increase its investments in renewable energy in line with its immediate energy security needs and longer-term net zero commitments.

“Wind and solar are readily-available energy sources in Africa, however, the continent will continue to lag behind without adequate and affordable access to capital and technology to meet its own energy needs. We know that the cost of renewables is now much cheaper than fossil fuels,” Christian added.

 

Why should Africa’s share of global investment on renewable energy account for only 1%? The continent must also have a fair and just opportunity to develop its abundant renewable energy sources. It must not continue to be left behind.

– Christian Aid –

 “The findings of this report on Europe are both encouraging and a warning for Africa. Its data underlines the risk that Africa faces of ending up with stranded assets in terms of large investments in fossil fuels energy infrastructure, at a time when Africa also has a huge abundance of untapped renewable energy potential,” James Mwangi, Chief Executive Officer of Africa Climate Ventures, and Founder of the Climate Action Platform – Africa said.

Mwangi further added that it makes little to no sense for Africa to spend large amounts of its limited investment capital on a fading technology that will inevitably need to be written off in the near future and is already losing ground to renewables even in Europe.

“Renewables have a much-extended lifespan and more attractive long-term economics. The $133 billion every year needed by Africa in clean energy investment is what this continent needs.”

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Tatu City businesses connected to permanent power
EnergyNews

Tatu City Businesses Connected To Permanent Power

by Ndungu Brian
written by Ndungu Brian

Tatu City, the 5,000-acre Special Economic Zone (SEZ) on Nairobi’s doorstep, has boosted the power supply to new businesses as they complete the construction of their facilities in Tatu Industrial Park.

Fed from Tatu City’s 135MVA substation, the companies have been provided with 12MVA of power, a five-fold increase from the current demand at the new city.

Tatu Power, Tatu City’s privately licensed power supply and distribution company regulated by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) recently provided permanent power connections to;

Tatu City businesses connected to permanent power

Tatu City businesses connected to permanent power with a five-fold increase registered in less than a year as companies open

  • Cold Solutions, East Africa’s leading temperature-controlled warehouse and logistics service provider;
  • Wonderpac Industries, a manufacturer and supplier of polypropylene packaging material and bags;
  • Kenya Wine Agencies Limited, a leading manufacturer, importer, and distributor of wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages;
  • Zhenghong, an alcohol production, and distribution company;
  • Stecol Corporation, global engineering and construction firm
  • Mahesh & Tirth Construction, a leading developer of warehousing solutions.

“Tatu City’s uptime is currently above 99%, as a result of the activation of Tatu City’s 66/11kV 135MVA substation, which is an unprecedented private investment in East Africa,” said Alex Kahu, Head of Utilities at Tatu City.

Kenya’s first operational SEZ, Tatu City is designated as a Project of Strategic National Importance. Tatu Industrial Park is the largest private light industrial zone in East Africa, with more than 70 companies operational or under development. The first phase of Tatu Industrial Park is 95% sold. A second phase was added to meet market demand.

Tatu City businesses connected to permanent power

Tatu City businesses connected to permanent power with a five-fold increase registered in less than a year as companies open

Power demand at Tatu City is projected to triple in 2023 as more businesses and residents move to the city. Tatu City has an integrated utilities approach for residents and business owners. In addition to power, there is the world-class provision of water, sewerage, and ICT.

Located just 30 minutes from Central Nairobi, Tatu City has two schools – Crawford International and Nova Pioneer – which educate more than 3,000 students daily, thousands of apartments by Unity Homes, and family residences in Kijani Ridge. Roast by Carnivore, a restaurant by Tamarind Group, the country’s leading hospitality operator, is open at the entrance to Tatu City. Eneo at Tatu Central, Tatu City’s first commercial office and retail complex will be completed in 2023, with CCI Global as its anchor tenant.

Kenya’s first operational Special Economic Zone, Tatu City, has welcomed dozens of companies to its business-friendly location, including Dormans, Copia, Cooper K-Brands, Grit Real Estate Income Group, Twiga Foods, CCI Global, Freight Forwarders Solutions, Friendship Group, Davis & Shirtliff, and KWAL.

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Climate ChangeEnergy

IBM Leads Africa to Clean Energy for Vulnerable Populations

by Kwabe Ben
written by Kwabe Ben

Africa turned out to be a significant focus for the initiative as United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is among the selected organizations and will work with IBM to increase access to sustainable, affordable, and reliable energy in African countries.

IBMs’ artificial intelligence and geospatial analytics in corporations with UNDPs technical knowledge aim to forecast electricity access to better guide policy and investment decisions.

Organizations such as UNDP, Sustainable Energy for All, Net Zero Atlantic, Miyakojima City Government, and Environment Without Borders Foundation for this IBM Sustainability Accelerator environmental cohort IBM will donate $30M worth of services by 2023 through the IBM Sustainability Accelerator program.

IBM has previously announced it plans to select five organizations for this program each year and expects to provide $30 million worth of services by the end of 2023.

IBM announced the new members of its global pro bono social impact program, the IBM Sustainability Accelerator.

“With the IBM Sustainability Accelerator, we are convening experts and using innovative technologies to help tackle the toughest environmental challenges our planet faces; and transitioning to clean energy is a critical step right now,” said Justina Nixon-Saintil, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility and ESG at IBM.

A program of IBM technologies, entailing hybrid cloud and artificial intelligence, and an ecosystem of experts to enhance and scale projects focused on populations vulnerable to environmental threats, including climate change. All new members will focus on accelerating clean energy projects.

According to the International Energy Agency, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, disruptions to global supply chains, and diversion of fiscal resources to keep food and fuel prices affordable have affected the pace of progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 7) of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy by 2030.

 

“With this new cohort, helping marginalized communities get just and equitable access to sustainable energy resources not only helps the world achieve the goal of UN SDG7 but can help in the larger global energy transition,” he added.

 

Some of the organziations selected to become part of the clean energy cohort include:

  1. United Nations Development Programme: UNDP is working with IBM to increase access to sustainable, affordable and reliable energy in African countries, focusing on those furthest left behind. The goal is to forecast electricity access to better guide policy and investment decisions, using UNDP’s technical knowledge and IBM’s artificial intelligence and geospatial analytics.

 

  1. Sustainable Energy for All: IBM is working with Sustainable Energy for All to build an intelligent model to project energy needs based on current and future human activity. This model will be designed to help to address key development challenges (e.g., lack of energy access and poor healthcare) and support the development of robust infrastructure planning, such as electrification plans. IBM machine learning and IBM Cloud technology and expertise will be used to build and scale open-access datasets and an energy needs model using temporal and spatial data. Kenya and India are being explored as the first regions to pilot the model.

 

  1. Net Zero Atlantic: Net Zero Atlantic is collaborating with IBM to create an interactive digital tool that will geospatially display the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of possible energy system futures for Nova Scotia. Ultimately, the goal is for Indigenous communities in Nova Scotia to leverage advanced modeling capabilities to inform their input into energy and development planning. The tool aims to be easy to use, locally relevant, and time efficient. It will be designed to produce easy-to-understand visual results using IBM technology such as the IBM Environmental Intelligence Suite and IBM Cloud.

 

  1. Miyakojima City Government: The Miyakojima City Government is working with IBM to support the development of a renewable energy strategy including a microgrid on Miyakojima Island, a distant community facing severe climate issues due to typhoons in Japan, with the goal of helping their residents, who rely on a clean local environment for the tourist industry and agriculture. Miyakojima City Government and IBM will collaborate to leverage technologies such as IBM Environmental Intelligence Suite weather data and IBM Cloud to model electricity demand and advise energy infrastructure development.

 

  1. Environment Without Borders Foundation: Environment Without Borders Foundation’s collaboration with IBM will be aimed at developing a platform to forecast, track, and communicate clean energy usage options in Egypt. The goal is to enable resilient and sustainable infrastructure and operations for clean energy in Egypt, helping residents of remote villages for whom energy is currently both expensive and unreliable. The clean energy management platform will leverage IBM Environmental Intelligence Suite and IBM Cloud.

 

IBM emphasized that the selection was based on the organization’s commitment to supporting communities that are especially vulnerable to environmental threats, its ability to increase access to affordable clean energy services, and its strategic focus, and transparency on measurement and reporting, among others.

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ksh 20 fuel hike
BusinessEnergy

A Soar in Fuel Prices Sees Increase of Up to Ksh 20 per liter

by Kwabe Ben
written by Kwabe Ben

Following the withdrawal of the fuel subsidy program by president William Ruto, citizens have decried the high soaring of prices in fuel costs to a whole-time high.

Based on the latest review, the regulator increased the price of super petrol by Ksh 20.18, diesel by Ksh 25, and kerosene by Ksh 20 Petrol, diesel, and kerosene will retail at Ksh 179.30, Ksh 165, and Ksh 147,94 in Nairobi from September 15 to October 14.

Citizens have raised concerns that the commodities and products are likely to see a soar in price as the fuel cost has highly shot to the maximum.

However, in the latest review, the regulator increased the price of super petrol by KSh 20.18, diesel by KSh 25, and kerosene by KSh 20.

This review has also seen a rise in the prices of tokens issued by Kenya Power and Lightning Company (KPLC) hence a need for the president to come in and salvage the economy question.

Following the review in fuel prices, there has been an automatic increase in the prices of tokens by the electricity company Kenya Power and Lightning Company (KPLC).

“The prices in Nairobi are as follows: Super petrol, diesel and kerosene increase by Ksh 20.18 per liter, KSh 25 per liter and KSh 20 per liter respectively,” EPRA said in a statement.

Wednesday evening witnessed high traffic of motorists scrambling to fuel their vehicles in fear of the fuel shortage amid fuel hikes.

 

 

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