Editorials

EDITORIAL: Increased investments in green energy timely

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A KenGen geothermal energy plant in Olkaria, Naivasha. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Reports that the Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) has bagged another multi-billion shilling deal to drill geothermal wells in Ethiopia is a clear indication that the future lies in green energy.

Even as the world shifts to clean power, there is still a long way to go before other countries tap energy that does not harm the environment.

Kenya is endowed with geothermal wells along the Rift Valley hence the quest by our northern neighbour to seek the country’s services in tapping the natural energy.

It is a vote of confidence in the State-owned company for the firm to bag a second tender to drill the wells.

The latest tender is worth Sh5.2 billion while in February it won part of a Sh7.6 billion contract to supply geothermal drilling services the Ethiopian Electric Power.

Our previous heavy reliance on hydro-energy has proved quite risky and costly especially during the drought period when the power producers are forced to turn to expensive diesel powered generators.

We aver that the government should invest more resources to solar, wind and geothermal energy sources to ensure that the cost of power for the consumer comes down and to spur the manufacturing sector.

The main advantage of geothermal energy is that it is renewable in that once the steam or water is used it can be pumped back into the ground.

What Kenya needs to tap now and in the future are eco-friendly energy sources.

Some of the industrialised countries have slowly been shifting from harmful energy sources that pollute the environment.

We need to take a hard look at how these countries have destroyed their immediate environments and find ways of protecting our own.

Such lessons will help us forge a better route to clean energy production. There are crucial lessons in ensuring that we have a variety of clean energy sources.

The toxic chemicals that are produced in the production of coal and oil for example pollute the air and water.

That’s the reason why there have been exerted efforts to promote the use of solar and wind among other clean energy sources to help protect our environment.

The answer to a clean environment lies in working together as a united world to save the planet for future generations.

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