Kenya signs off on Africa’s largest clean energy project

• 10 years ago (2014-03-24)
• Junior Isles

Africa 303 Renewables 753

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Kenya’s 300 MW Lake Turkana Wind Power Project, Africa’s largest clean energy project, has completed its financing drive with the signing of a Sh76 billion ($91.2 million) loan, backed by more than 10 different financiers brought together by the African Development Bank.

“Nine years of sitting at desks, preparing paper work; nine years of studies have been really long. We are people of action and we will act. We want to be in the field and break ground as soon as possible because we want to bring this change to Kenya,” said Carlo Van Wageningen, Lake Turkana Wind Power Chairman at the signing ceremony this week.

The Lake Turkana project has been under private development since 2005 but construction can now begin in June this year, with the project expected to begin producing power for the grid in early 2016.

The wind energy will be bought at a fixed price by Kenya Power for over a 20-year period according to a settled power purchase agreement.

The project expects to save Kenya up to Sh17.9 billion ($150 million) a year in foreign currency through fuel displacement costs.

The site covers 40 000 in Loiyangalani District, Marsabit County, and when complete will host 365 wind turbines, each with a capacity of 850 kW.