Call to Improve clean energy access through collaboration
Climate change’s devastating effects on the global economy necessitate concerted efforts among stakeholders to improve access and use of clean energy to mitigate the growing threat of global warming.
Kenya’s Energy Principal Secretary, Alex Wachira said global warming due to climate change has precipitated upon the country the most severe drought in decades that has affected more than 4.2 million people mostly in the Arid and Semi-Arid regions, joining the international frame the effects of climate change include famine, hunger, suffering and death are among other ravages of weather.
Wachira said Kenya has joined other nations in the journey to achieve net zero by 2050 through increased use of renewable energy and promotion of energy efficiency among users.
The government has made key commitments including enabling 100pc access to electricity by 2030 and achieving 100pc access to modern cooking energy services by 2028.
The PS called for adoption of Integrated National Energy Planning (INEP) that would help consolidate efforts by government agencies, private sector and development partners in a coherent manner to provide energy services to all Kenyans.
He said INEP plans seek to champion the status of clean cooking to be a top priority under the energy access at both national and county levels, complete with facilitative budgets for implementation.
Notably, the PS said INEP plans address electricity generation, transmission and distribution, energy access covering electricity and clean cooking solutions, energy resource assessment and development, bioenergy development; and energy efficiency and conservation.
He said promotion of renewable energy as well as energy efficiency binds Kenya to the Paris Agreement which seeks to limit the level of global warming to 1.5 degrees centigrade.
The PS made the remarks through a speech read on his behalf by Wycliffe Ogallo, the Secretary Administration at the Energy Ministry during the induction of County Executive Committee [CEC] members in charge of energy dockets which is being held in Naivasha.
He called upon county governors to support the integration of energy planning into the County Integrated Development Plans to speed up the uptake of clean energy solutions among the population.
“Our quest is to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all to ensure reduce carbon emissions in our environment,” said Wachira.
On his part, Salmon Orimba, the Kisumu County CEC member in charge of energy docket said the county has rolled out clean stoves, energy-efficient jikos and solar lighting lamps among the most vulnerable as part of mitigation measures.
Orimba said the county also seeks to enter to partnerships to venture into clean energy initiatives including wind, solar as part of initiatives aimed at reducing carbon emissions footprints and mitigating the growing threats of global warming.
