Strengthening institutional capacities for the renewable energy sector and territorial energy planning

• Context

In Kenya’s Vision 2030, energy is recognized as a key pillar of the country’s socio-economic development. The Energy Act, 2019, further solidified this by clarifying the regulatory framework, particularly in promoting renewable energy. The Act aligns the energy sector’s regulatory framework with the Constitution of Kenya, defining the roles of both the National Government and the 47 County Governments in the energy sector. Notably, it specifies the responsibility of County Governments in preparing territorial energy plans at the county level.

Kenya’s action plan under the Sustainable Energy for All initiative sets ambitious targets: achieving 100% electricity access for the population by 2022, ensuring 100% access to modern cooking energy by 2030, reducing energy intensity by 2.785% annually, and increasing the share of renewable energy to 80% of final energy consumption, encompassing both heat and electricity.

As part of the technical assistance mandate entrusted to us by the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, we undertook the following activities:

• Strategic Support and Capacity Building: We developed and led missions at the national level, assisting the Ministry of Energy with planning methodologies, county engagement, and skill development in the technical and economic assessment of energy projects and plans.
• Territorial Energy Planning for Counties: We were involved in the energy planning processes for approximately fifteen counties, supporting local government energy teams. This included creating geo-referenced databases, conducting spatial needs analysis, formulating priorities, and developing investment programs using a bottom-up approach.
• Training and Technical Support: We organized training sessions, workshops, and technical support facilities for private sector actors and civil society organizations to enhance their engagement in the renewable energy sector, particularly in the decentralized energy planning process