Geographical Dimensions of the Mix of Electric Power Production in Kenya (A Study in Energy Geography)

Document Type : Academic scientific reviews of any other material related to the main domains of this Journal.

Author

Department of Geography - Institute of African Research and Studies - Aswan University

Abstract

The mix of electricity production in Kenya consists of non- renewable thermal sources and renewable sources such as geothermal, wind, solar, biomass and hydro. This study aims to highlight the spatial variation of the electricity production mix, to show the productive efficiency of the different types of power stations, to stand on the economics of this mix, to reveal the challenges it faces, and to anticipate its future in the light of the plans being implemented in Kenya.

In order to achieve its objectives, the study relied on: the regional approach, the descriptive analytical approach, the source of energy, and the historical approach. And it concluded that renewable generation sources contributed 77.9% of the total installed capacity of power stations, and 86.6% of the total energy generated from them in the year 2021/2022, and the bulk of the installed capacity and generated energy was concentrated in the Rift Valley and Eastern regions, and the production efficiency of thermal stations decreased to 33.9%, and the high cost of generation in it, and that the electricity production mix faces several challenges, most notably: the inability of its capabilities to cover the need for consumption, the fluctuation of the amount of hydroelectricity generated from year to year.,

The study recommended the development of quality systems in Kenyan power plants, the introduction of pumping and storage technology to address intermittence in the production of photovoltaic plants, the pursuit of carbon credit profits to finance renewable electricity generation projects,.

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