Achieving green energy objectives

Sufficient research was of course needed on production methods and usage. The main benefit from these biodiesel efforts was going to be social-economic in providing work for many rural unemployed.

On the other hand, the larger-scale commercial bio-alcohol production focused on the grand Garsen project which seems to have faced environmental politics between pastoralists and agriculturalists.

The sugar industry as we have seen with Mumias can provide both green electricity and also bio-ethanol for petrol replacement .

It is commendable to see that the government has already committed and resourced geothermal and wind power as the key areas that will make a major impact on energy cost while at the same time reducing carbon, as the two forms of alternative energy replace the incremental usage of fuel oil in thermal generation.

It has never been quite appreciated that the cheapest way of increasing available energy is through conservation and efficiency.

According to the Prime Minister, introduction of energy saving bulbs is equivalent to investing in a 49 MW power plant. Green energy efforts should therefore start in the areas of conservation and efficiency as the capital costs involved are not quite high compared with grassroots new power plants .

What is needed is sufficient public awareness and education, coupled with sufficient fiscal and financial incentives, and where necessary regulations to enforce.

Focus on efficiency and conservation should be on both electricity and petroleum usage, targeting domestic, transport and industrial sectors.

By improving flow of traffic in Nairobi, the new Town Clerk can contribute phenomenal energy savings.

On the domestic side, after the energy saving bulbs , the next effort should be a government directed campaign to install solar water heaters, including enforcement of solar heaters in all new buildings .

Green energy therefore should be walked as much as it is talked emphasizing cross-cutting benefits, and that is why the effort should be inter-ministerial as impacts touch on environment, energy, industries and transport ministries and I guess that is why it is being co-ordinated through the Prime Minister’s office.

In America the driving force behind Obama’s green energy is chiefly trying to reduce dependence on foreign sourced oil by substituting with locally produced greener alternatives and in so doing reduce carbon emissions which impact on global warming .

Improvement on vehicle consumption efficiency in USA has become a good starting point.

Wachira is a Consultant with Petroleum Focus.
wachira@petroleumfocus.com