Mombasa Cement Limited is set to build a 20-megawatt (MW) power plant at its factory in Vipingo, Kilifi County, to help cut energy costs.
The power plant, which will rely on solid fuels and a waste heat recovery system, will cost an estimated Sh2.5 billion, according to regulatory filings.
“The proposed power plant is to generate 10MW of electricity using a waste heat recovery system and 10MW from solid fuels.
“The waste heat to be used in power generation will be recovered from waste flue gasses that are emitted during clinkerisation and cement production,” the company said.
“To generate electricity from solid fuels, the proposed project proposes will utilise circulating fluidised bed combustion boiler technology.”
The existing Mombasa Cement factory in Vipingo has two clinker production lines. During the production of clinker, heat is generated.
List of ventures
The Mombasa Cement project joins a growing list of ventures by cement manufacturers seeking to cut costs and guarantee reliable supplies from their own generated power.
“The objective of the proposed project is to generate electricity internally that will be used onsite in cement production at Mombasa Cement Vipingo factory,” said Mombasa Cement.
Devki Steel Mills Limited (DSML), a subsidiary of family-owned conglomerate Devki Group, also plans to set up a Sh260 million wind farm in Samburu, Kwale County, with an output of 60 megawatts.
The wind farm will be located on a parcel of land within the South Samburu group ranch in Kinango off the Mombasa-Nairobi highway.
Devki owns the parcel of land. The company said the proposed wind farm would be built by installing 38 wind turbines to generate electricity for the national grid.
“The design components of the wind farm will include wind turbines complete with all necessary auxiliary facilities, overhead power lines, and access.
“Electricity generated will be fed to an existing nearby sub-station and power transmission grid within the premises of Devki Steel Mills Limited Samburu plant,” said Devki.
“The turbines to be installed will be Vesta V90 each with a capacity of 3MW, pitch regulated upwind wind turbine with active yaw and a three-blade rotor.”
Separately, Bamburi Cement in December 2023 kicked off the construction of two solar photovoltaic power plants, targeting to turn to solar for up to 30 percent of its total power supply.
One 14.5MW plant will be situated at the Bamburi cement factory in Mombasa while another 5MW plant will be at the company’s Nairobi grinding plant.
