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When America approves another 300 megawatt wind farm it's a big deal. But, let's be honest, that's one third of a coal-fired power plant. It's much more interesting when the developing world starts getting in on the game.
Not just because it will bring power to people who need it. Not just because it's a decent amount of green power. But because it's possible that African countries will be able to grow as clean-energy nations. Just like China and India have grown as cell-phone nations, it might just be possible that Africa will leap-frog fossil fuels.
The new wind farm will be financed mostly by the government of Kenya, to help meet the growing electricity demand of about 8% per year. The African Development Bank will also pay for about 30% of it.
It should be interesting to see how a power system with such a larger percentage of it's energy coming from wind will handle it. Since there is nowhere where wind blows 100% of the time, the grid will have to be able to handle that instability. In developing parts of the world, however, grid instability is generally just a part of life.
One more reason why Africa might end up being the greenest continent.
Via ENN
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Comments (16)
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written by Tom, January 21, 2009
Wow, 30% of its power?! That's pretty amazing. I've also been hearing about a lot of other clean energy projects like SolarAid where they are trying to get developing nations on solar energy. It's great, hope to hear more.
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written by MD, January 21, 2009
A friend of mine lives in Kenya, one other thing that is already saving their resources is the fact that a lot of houses there use solar energy to heat their hot water, there are places in the US that could do the same and reduce electrical and gas loads... but I guess everyone here in the US wants magical high tech, instead of plain old low tech that works just fine.
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written by wind4me, January 21, 2009
about time the world starts going green!!!
wonder who is building the wind farms for Kenya??
wonder who is building the wind farms for Kenya??
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written by Shawn, January 22, 2009
What impressed me when I was in rural Kenya is that there was only one... maybe two... power outages for the entire week I was there. That's the kind of reliability that even urban areas in Bangladesh don't have. Kenya is really heading in the right direction.
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written by KP, January 22, 2009
I'm from Kenya ...a lot of Kenya's power comes via geothermal power plants ... so they've been heading in the right direction for a long time now. It would be interesting to see how they're going to deliver the power from the farms to the homes.
@MD ... I do know that there are some homes that use Solar to heat water but it's a very small portion of homes. I've seen abundant use of solar to heat water in India .. and it's been there for years now.
Interesting post. Thanks Hank.
@MD ... I do know that there are some homes that use Solar to heat water but it's a very small portion of homes. I've seen abundant use of solar to heat water in India .. and it's been there for years now.
Interesting post. Thanks Hank.
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written by Global Patriot, January 22, 2009
It is very important that the developing world adopt renewable energy as much as possible and avoid building a massive fossil fuel based infrastructure.
Just as many developing areas went straight to cellular and skipped the old-world wired telephone systems, this is the perfect time to shift new energy development to sources that are friendly to the environment.
Just as many developing areas went straight to cellular and skipped the old-world wired telephone systems, this is the perfect time to shift new energy development to sources that are friendly to the environment.
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written by MD, January 22, 2009
@KP
Solar heaters are quite old tech, they work just fine, quite surprising that more people do not use them.
I've considered it where I live, though it would only work for a few months out of the year, but still it would be a start!
Solar heaters are quite old tech, they work just fine, quite surprising that more people do not use them.
I've considered it where I live, though it would only work for a few months out of the year, but still it would be a start!
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written by Kerhoffer, January 22, 2009
Putting 30% of a countries power generation into wind generation is very risky. The wind is not going to blow every day.
Interception of that much wind will result in localized warming in Kenya. It would have made more sense to build a coal fired base load plant.
Interception of that much wind will result in localized warming in Kenya. It would have made more sense to build a coal fired base load plant.
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written by chris, January 23, 2009
The 300 MW windfarm of LTWP is a private initiative without any funding whatsoever from the Government of Kenya. ADB has pledged 30% towards the project but through the private sector not the public sector. This project is not just fantastic for Kenya but for Africa as a whole. A full integration study has been done and the national grid can cope.
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written by Chris, January 23, 2009
Good to see that at least some of the developing countries avoid the development of a fossil fuel based energy infrastructure, just as commentator GP has stated. Let's just hope that we will see many more such projects in the coming years.
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written by Yamaha Dirt Bikes, January 28, 2009
Great Efforts,
Its an initial steps for making an developing country into a race of developed country.Infrastructure is the core for making a nation,strong.
Its an initial steps for making an developing country into a race of developed country.Infrastructure is the core for making a nation,strong.
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written by Eric, January 28, 2009
What the writer means is that eventually the idea of wind mill technology or clean energy will spread to other african countries over time. Therefore, it will make the african continent one of the greenest continent in the world.
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written by arnold, June 19, 2009
This is obviously a great initiative from Kenya to take advantage of the wind power around Lake Turkana..
@ KP
Actually Kenya does have the highest infiltration rate of solar power in the world and combined with this project and the fact that most of the rest of the power is generated from hydroelectric and geothermal sources Kenya has arguably turned into the 'greenest' country on earth....
@ KP
Actually Kenya does have the highest infiltration rate of solar power in the world and combined with this project and the fact that most of the rest of the power is generated from hydroelectric and geothermal sources Kenya has arguably turned into the 'greenest' country on earth....
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written by Manis, August 29, 2009
This is a great initiative Kenya is taking up. This is one of the reasons why Kenya is distinctive from the rest of the countries neighbouring. This transition of moving towards green energy would be a challenge to kenya for its resources and research limitations, but moreover its going to amazing to see how they will approach that.
I am currently writing my thessis for windfarms, and am currently considering to base my thessis on kenya. But till now I havent been able to establish enough information to conduct. If any of you could help me with that, will be appreciated..
I am currently writing my thessis for windfarms, and am currently considering to base my thessis on kenya. But till now I havent been able to establish enough information to conduct. If any of you could help me with that, will be appreciated..
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written by Rob, September 07, 2009
It is great to hear about projects such as this. However, I think the big challenge for Kenya, and other countries, is to find a way to reduce the dependency on charcoal for cooking. Without that, the forests there will continue to be destroyed, and the hydro power schemes will continue to be silted up and rendered useless. I am sure that sucessful hydo schemes offer a good way to control the fluctuations in power output which is the main issue with wind power. But if deforestation continues at present rates then dams will silt up and rainfall will reduce.
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Sorry boss, but Africa is a continent not a nation