Companies

Firm plans 40MW solar power plant in Nandi

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Africa’s largest solar carport system at the Garden City Mall in Nairobi. Suppliers of solar power to the national grid will earn Sh12.09 per kilowatt hour (kWh). PHOTO | DIANA NGILA

A Kenyan company has unveiled a plan to build a 40-megawatt (MW) solar power plant in Nandi County, adding to the list of firms seeking a piece of the country’s renewable energy market.

Kopere Solar Park Limited is seeking regulatory approval for the project which will cost Sh1.03 billion and is financed by Climate Investment Funds (CIF).

CIF is a global USD8.3 billion mechanism that is providing funding for green energy projects with the African Development Bank (AfDB) the implementing agency in the continent.

The solar farm will sit on 250 acres that is leased by the company and will include a step up sub-station and a 1.8 kilometre transmission line of 132KV connecting to Lessos-Kisumu hills power main line.

“The project is being developed by Subuiga International, a group of local entrepreneurs with technical partnership from Martifer Solar,” the company said in environmental regulatory filings.

“The model that is proposed is very recent and will contribute to bringing new financing and operation models to this region and Africa as a whole.”

Portugal-based Martifer Solar will be involved in the solar farm as the technical partners to develop, build and operate the project during its lifetime.

Several companies have moved to take advantage of Kenya’s favourable climate to establish solar farms that are expected to come on-stream in the next few years.

READ: Company gets green light to build 40MW solar plant in Lamu

The government’s provision of a stable “feed in tariff” policy which took effect in January 2013 has encouraged more players to move into production.

The policy document states that suppliers of solar power to the national grid will earn $0.12 (Sh12.09) per kilowatt hour (kWh).

Other companies involved in developing solar farms include Kenya Solar Energy Ltd (Kensen) which will start constructing a 40MW plant in Lamu County in September.

Other companies developing solar plants in the country include UK firm Solarcentury, Green Energy Africa and Greenmillenia Energy Ltd.

Strathmore University, which has installed solar panels with a capacity of 0.6MW, last year signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with Kenya Power.

The university will sell power at Sh12 per kilowatt hour to the utility firm for onward sale to homes and businesses.

The government through Rural Electrification Authority (REA) is also planning to set up a Sh12.8 billion plant in the North Eastern town of Garissa with a capacity of 55 megawatts.

Kenya’s total installed power capacity stands at 2,294MW, with solar power accounting for less than one per cent, presenting a huge market for solar companies.