Local investors have joined their foreign counterparts in sinking funds in wind energy with multibillion shilling projects investments into the lucrative sector.
Weeks after the World Bank bought Sh1.6bn equity in a locally owned Kipeto wind power project in Kajiado, a consortium of local and foreign investors are planning a Sh10bn plant in Kiambu County.
Kengen’s revenue from wind power rose 31 per cent to Sh117 million in 2014 compared to the previous year representing a meagre 0.4 per cent of the total power consumption.
The plant which will generate 200MW adds to a number of projects across the country including both gas and coal fired plants that Kengen hopes will help win off diesel generators from the national grid.
The Kipeto Energy Limited (KEL) was founded by Craftskills Wind Energy International Limited, a company owned by Kenyans Kenneth Namunje, Simon Guyo and Charles Munywoki.
Ndeiya Member of the County Assembly of Kiambu Nelson Munga hosted investors of the wind farm project in Njira ya Ruhuho’site in Ndeiya, Limuru sub-county.
Those present were local investors in the project Aperture Green Power Company, engineering contractor HydroChina, logistic and finance company Civicon, Saron Marketing Group for investment planning and Transcentury Group.
The CEO of Aperture Wind John Wainaina said the first phase of the project would generate 50MW of electricity and would be constructed within the next two years, and the second phase would generate 150MW.
Wind energy represents a tiny 0.4 per cent of Kenya’s total energy compared to 19.2 per cent of thermal power
“We have carried out a visibility study and received a licence from the Ministry of Energy to carry on with the project, and we will start construction in mid-June when raw materials are on site as currently we are importing metal for the meteorological masts,” said Mr Wainaina.
He added that the wind farm would sit on a 16km stretch of land in Nachu and Ndeiya wards where the wind is strongest.
The result of the project would be the installation of 33 wind turbines expected to provide low cost wind power for the national grid after a power purchase agreement is negotiated with Kenya Power and Lightning Company (KPLC).
The project investors said they would give back to the community by digging boreholes, rehabilitating roads, supporting education and offering jobs to the locals
Ndeiya my sweet home 
our children will benefit with this project
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