Enel Green Power and Powerhive to develop solar grids in Western Kenya

• 8 years ago (2015-12-08)
• David Flin

Europe 1061 Renewables 752

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Enel Green Power has announced that it is partnering with mini-grid technology solutions provider and developer Powerhive to construct and operate mini-grids in 100 villages located across Kenya. The grids will require an investment of around $12 million during 2016, 93 per cent provided by Enel Green Power, and 7 per cent from Powerhive.

The project, developed by Powerhive, consists of a portfolio of solar mini-grids, with a total installed capacity of 1 MW, to be built in the western part of Kenya, in the counties of Kisii and Nyamira. The integration of mini-grids with energy storage facilities will allow this system to balance supply and demand.

Francesco Venturini, CEO of Enel Green Power, said: “Kenya’s rich and differentiated technology mix in the renewables industry offers a unique platform for the business development of Enel Green Power in Africa. This country couples a low electrification rate, still around 30 per cent, with one of the highest mobile phone penetration rates of the region, thus making this union ideal to implement innovative solutions able to integrate the electrification of rural areas with generation from renewables, storage facilities, and advanced billing solutions.”

Integrating these grids with energy storage facilities will give these systems the ability to balance supply and demand, reducing concerns over offset variations in customer loads and unpredictable spikes in power generation.