1
CHAPTER ONE
1 ENERGY DEMAND AND SUPPLY IN KENYA
1.1 Energy demand, supply and imports in Kenya
Energy demand in Kenya may be classified as commercial and traditional. Electricity and fossil
fuels are the main commercial energy whereas wood-fuel (wood and charcoal) is the dominant
energy source in the traditional sector. Urban and rural household energy consumption accounts
for the major part of energy consumption in most African countries. It ranges between 50-70
and 58-93 percent in African countries with medium and low income per capita respectively.
Satisfying the household energy needs takes up a substantial portion of the income of the urban
household, while in the rural areas much time and effort are spent on collecting fuel wood
instead of using it on more productive activities. The rural areas depend on fuel wood,
agricultural residues and animal wastes for most of their heating and cooking needs whereas the
urban households depend on charcoal, LPG and electricity for their cooking and heating needs.
Commercial energy consumption in the country accounts for over 40% of the total energy
consumption [2]. Electricity is used in lighting and industrial processes whereas petroleum
products is used in boilers for process steam and electricity generation while in the transport
sector as fuel for internal combustion engines.
Energy Consumption in Kenya
Bulk is consumed in manufacturing, commercial, transport, residential, power
generation, and street lighting
Transport sector is the largest consumer of petroleum products followed by the
manufacturing sector and other sectors including agriculture, tourism and power
generation
Commercial energy in the country as at 2007 was dominated by petroleum and
electricity
At the national level, wood fuel and other biomass accounted for about 68% of the total
primary energy consumption, followed by petroleum at 22% and electricity at 9%
MPE 571E: POWER PLANT ENGINEERING
, 2
• Total Electricity consumption registered a growth of 9.0 percent from 5,754.7 GWh in
2010 to 6,273.6 GWh in 2011
• Number of connections under the Rural Electrification Programme rose by 23.2%
from 251,056 customers at June 2010 to 309,287 as at June 2011
Energy Sources in Kenya
Petroleum
Kenya imports its petroleum in both crude and refined forms. Currently there is
petroleum exploration going on in Turkana and gas deposits have been discovered in
Lamu
Coal: The country has substantial deposits of coal and the government has in the recent
past fast tracked its exploration
Wind:
The country’s wind installed capacity is 5.1 MW operated by the Kenya Electricity
Generating Company at the Ngong site. The installed wind energy capacity to the grid
was 5.45MW as at June, 2012
The exploitation of wind energy resource in Kenya has however been hampered by high
capital cost and lack of sufficient wind regime data among other factors
The country’s wind installed capacity is 5.1 MW operated by KenGen at the Ngong site
The installed wind energy capacity to the grid was 5.45MW as at June, 2012.
Exploitation of wind energy resource in Kenya has however been hampered by high
capital cost and lack of sufficient wind regime data among other factors
Potential areas for wind energy generation are far away from the national grid and load
centres require high capital investment for the transmission lines
Solar
Utilization of solar energy is low despite the abundant availability of the solar energy
resource
Solar is mainly used for Photovoltaic (PV) systems, water heating and the drying of
agricultural produce
MPE 571E:: POWER PLANT ENGINEERING
CHAPTER ONE
1 ENERGY DEMAND AND SUPPLY IN KENYA
1.1 Energy demand, supply and imports in Kenya
Energy demand in Kenya may be classified as commercial and traditional. Electricity and fossil
fuels are the main commercial energy whereas wood-fuel (wood and charcoal) is the dominant
energy source in the traditional sector. Urban and rural household energy consumption accounts
for the major part of energy consumption in most African countries. It ranges between 50-70
and 58-93 percent in African countries with medium and low income per capita respectively.
Satisfying the household energy needs takes up a substantial portion of the income of the urban
household, while in the rural areas much time and effort are spent on collecting fuel wood
instead of using it on more productive activities. The rural areas depend on fuel wood,
agricultural residues and animal wastes for most of their heating and cooking needs whereas the
urban households depend on charcoal, LPG and electricity for their cooking and heating needs.
Commercial energy consumption in the country accounts for over 40% of the total energy
consumption [2]. Electricity is used in lighting and industrial processes whereas petroleum
products is used in boilers for process steam and electricity generation while in the transport
sector as fuel for internal combustion engines.
Energy Consumption in Kenya
Bulk is consumed in manufacturing, commercial, transport, residential, power
generation, and street lighting
Transport sector is the largest consumer of petroleum products followed by the
manufacturing sector and other sectors including agriculture, tourism and power
generation
Commercial energy in the country as at 2007 was dominated by petroleum and
electricity
At the national level, wood fuel and other biomass accounted for about 68% of the total
primary energy consumption, followed by petroleum at 22% and electricity at 9%
MPE 571E: POWER PLANT ENGINEERING
, 2
• Total Electricity consumption registered a growth of 9.0 percent from 5,754.7 GWh in
2010 to 6,273.6 GWh in 2011
• Number of connections under the Rural Electrification Programme rose by 23.2%
from 251,056 customers at June 2010 to 309,287 as at June 2011
Energy Sources in Kenya
Petroleum
Kenya imports its petroleum in both crude and refined forms. Currently there is
petroleum exploration going on in Turkana and gas deposits have been discovered in
Lamu
Coal: The country has substantial deposits of coal and the government has in the recent
past fast tracked its exploration
Wind:
The country’s wind installed capacity is 5.1 MW operated by the Kenya Electricity
Generating Company at the Ngong site. The installed wind energy capacity to the grid
was 5.45MW as at June, 2012
The exploitation of wind energy resource in Kenya has however been hampered by high
capital cost and lack of sufficient wind regime data among other factors
The country’s wind installed capacity is 5.1 MW operated by KenGen at the Ngong site
The installed wind energy capacity to the grid was 5.45MW as at June, 2012.
Exploitation of wind energy resource in Kenya has however been hampered by high
capital cost and lack of sufficient wind regime data among other factors
Potential areas for wind energy generation are far away from the national grid and load
centres require high capital investment for the transmission lines
Solar
Utilization of solar energy is low despite the abundant availability of the solar energy
resource
Solar is mainly used for Photovoltaic (PV) systems, water heating and the drying of
agricultural produce
MPE 571E:: POWER PLANT ENGINEERING
