The government in partnership with the World Bank will invest Sh15 billion in a project to improve energy access in 14 counties, the president has said.<\/p>\n
Speaking yesterday in Nairobi, President Uhuru Kenyatta said the Kenya Off-Grid Solar Access Project seeks to provide energy to 250,000 households and more than 800 public facilities.The initiative is part of the government\u2019s target of attaining an additional 1.9 million solar-based connections through the Kenya National Electrification Strategy launched in 2018.\u00a0\u201cTo achieve our electrification programme through off-grid solutions, my administration recognises the importance of partnering with the private sector,\u201d Uhuru said.<\/p>\n
The president at the same time oversaw the opening of the sixth Global Off-Grid Solar Forum and Expo in Nairobi.The biennial forum, which is organised by the global association for the off-grid solar energy industry and the World Bank\u2019s Lighting Global Programme, seeks to accelerate the development of the global off-grid solar market as part of efforts towards the achievement of universal energy access target by 2030.Uhuru assured of the government\u2019s focus on providing an enabling environment for private sector investors to thrive in the provision of off-grid solar products and services.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have given import duty exemptions on a range of solar products to ensure both profitability for investors as well as affordability and high quality products on the part of consumers,\u201d the president said.He noted that his administration was supporting numerous home-grown innovative solutions and products such as Pay-as-You-Use models and locally manufactured solar solutions fashioned to meet the needs of farmers and rural communities.<\/p>\n
Uhuru said the government recognises the importance of affordable and reliable power supply in the achievement of the country\u2019s Big Four Agenda.\u201cEvidence abounds that to realise sustained social economic development, provision of sufficient and clean electricity is a critical enabler,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He also noted that Kenya has been recognised as the world\u2019s second largest stand-alone solar market after India.\u201cWe have achieved this feat on the basis of 6.2 million verified sales of solar products since 2009 and 14 million people accessing improved energy through off-grid solar solutions between the years 2016 and 2018,\u201d Uhuru said.<\/p>\n
He averred that since he assumed office in 2013, the number of Kenyans with access to electricity has more than tripled from 2.2 million in 2013 to 7.2 million currently.Other speakers at the forum that attracted over 1,000 delegates drawn from 65 countries included Energy Cabinet secretary Charles Keter and World Bank Country Director Carlos Felipe.<\/p>\n
Mr Felipe lauded Kenya for becoming a renewable energy leader and the fastest electrifying country in the world.<\/p>\n
Innovative technologies<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe off-grid solar sector\u2019s contribution has been absolutely formidable towards this achievement and Kenyan government\u2019s collaboration with the private sector has been exemplary in delivering innovative technologies and business models that serve everyone,\u201d Felipe said.<\/p>\n He added that he was pleased the Kenya government\u2019s efforts to boost access to electricity have included those living in the most remote parts of the country.Felipe disclosed that the World Bank was working with other governments across Africa to replicate the success of the Kenyan experience.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The government in partnership with the World Bank will invest Sh15 billion in a project to improve energy access in 14 counties, the president has said. Speaking yesterday in Nairobi, President Uhuru Kenyatta said the Kenya Off-Grid Solar Access Project seeks to provide energy to 250,000 households and more than 800 public facilities.The initiative is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":2850,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,5,7,8],"tags":[1540,1541,362,1031],"class_list":["post-2849","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-economy","category-head-lines","category-homepage-english","tag-big-four-agenda","tag-kenya-off-grid-solar-access-project","tag-president-uhuru-kenyatta","tag-world-bank"],"yoast_head":"\n