Kenya will next month host renewable energy players, banks and regulators from across the world at a forum seeking to drive the generation of wind power as a critical part of clean energy.
The Africa Energy Forum, to be held from June 20 to 23, will also address challenges such as financing and regulations to boost the use of wind energy on the continent.
Africa has huge potential for wind energy production, prompting international financial institutions, governments and the private sector to pursue partnerships that harness the potential and increase electricity access to homes and businesses.
Only a paltry one percent of the globe’s wind farms are currently found in Africa, amid funding challenges that have hampered such projects.
“We look forward to engaging with public and private sector stakeholders at the Africa Energy Forum in Nairobi to discuss the opportunities that wind energy can bring,” Wangari Muchiri, GWEC’s Africa WindPower Director.
Africa WindPower— an arm of the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) — tasked with accelerating the uptake of wind power on the continent will be a lead partner at the forum hosted by UK-based events firm EnergyNet.
Kenya is home to the biggest wind power plant in Africa, the 310 megawatts Lake Turkana Wind Power Project and has three other plants, cementing the decision to host the forum.
An estimated 2,500 players in the sector from private and government agencies are expected at the forum, where deals and partnerships on funding wind power projects on the continent are envisaged.
The forum will also target young entrepreneurs and institutions of higher learning as part of tapping Africa’s youthful population to boost the uptake of green energy.
