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Wind Power News: Kenya
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational effort to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
US firm loses battle for Sh21b Lamu wind farm
US energy firm Cordisons International has lost an 11-year battle to put up a Sh21 billion wind power farm in Lamu County. The Supreme Court last week threw out the appeal by Cordisons that sought to compel the National Land Commission (NLC) to issue the firm with a leasehold to 11,000 acres of land in Kiongwe, Lamu County to build a wind farm. In its ruling, the Supreme Court upheld the decision made by the Court of Appeal in 2017 . . . Complete story »
Kenya’s ambitious wind turbines battle community land crosswinds
The tussle in Kenya’s high court between Marsabit County residents and the government over the land used for Africa’s biggest wind farm continues to threaten stability in the area. The project, which the government regards as its ambition for clean and renewable energy and a symbol of its Vision 2030, was inaugurated by President Uhuru Kenyatta in July 2019. It comprises 365 wind turbine generators, each with a capacity of 850 kW. The total wind farm capacity is 310 MW. Five . . . Complete story »
New judges for wind farm case
Chief Justice David Maraga has appointed a new three-judge bench to hear a land case between Lake Turkana Wind Power Ltd and Marsabit residents after the previous judges recused themselves. Justices Peter Muchoki Njoroge of Chuka Law Courts, Yuvinalis Angima based at Meru Law Courts and Lady Justice Grace Kemei of Murang’a said they would hear the matter from January 20 to January 23, 2020. Numerous delays They observed that the case against the firm had been pending in court . . . Complete story »
How Kenya’s mega wind power project is hurting communities
Kenya recently launched the Lake Turkana Wind Power project, Africa’s largest wind energy project and the biggest public-private investment in Kenyan history. The wind farm will produce 300MW of low-cost renewable energy for Kenya’s national grid. Kenya is already a leader in green energy; 70% of its electricity comes from renewable sources, all part of the government’s plans to promote renewable energy in line with the national development strategy, Vision 2030. The Lake Turkana Wind Power project is a key . . . Complete story »
Wind power project no respite for Kenyans’ high power bills
Kenyans will continue paying high electricity bills despite President Uhuru Kenyatta launching the 310 megawatts wind power project in Loyangalani, Marsabit, last Friday. It was expected that the project touted as the biggest wind farm on the continent would lower the cost of power because it is clean energy. However, not so fast. Chairman of Lake Turkana Power board Mugo Kebati, the private entity that is generating the green power, told the Star that consumers will still pay high cost . . . Complete story »
The reason renewables can’t power modern civilization is because they were never meant to
Over the last decade, journalists have held up Germany’s renewables energy transition, the Energiewende, as an environmental model for the world. “Many poor countries, once intent on building coal-fired power plants to bring electricity to their people, are discussing whether they might leapfrog the fossil age and build clean grids from the outset,” thanks to the Energiewende, wrote a New York Times reporter in 2014. With Germany as inspiration, the United Nations and World Bank poured billions into renewables like . . . Complete story »
Turkana wind project to earn firm billions
Lake Turkana Wind Power project (LTWP) will now sell electricity to Kenya Power at a 50 per cent discounted rate, it has emerged. The arrangement, however, comes with a rider that the power distributor’s purchases from the firm’s Marsabit wind farm will have to cross a certain threshold. This could undercut other power producers as a 50 per cent discount would reduce the per unit cost of electricity to about Sh4.4 from Sh8.8 (7.53 Euro cents). It is also comparable . . . Complete story »
Judges to visit L. Turkana Wind project in land row
High Court judges are set to visit the Lake Turkana Wind Power project on October 17 over a protracted land dispute. The ruling to visit the site was made by a three-judge bench comprising justices Samuel Mkunya, Lucy Mbugua and Enock Cherono after the power producer through lawyer James Waitoro made the site application before hearing of the case. Marsabit residents have accused the firm of acquiring 150,000 acres of their ancestral land for its Sh75 billion project without following . . . Complete story »
Residents petition county govt over Sh15bn Kengen wind farm
More than 180 residents of Tigania East and Tigania West in Meru have petitioned the county assembly over a planned Sh15 billion KenGen (#ticker:KEGN) wind farm. The residents have complained of illegal adjudication and evictions from their farms. An area covering seven villages has been earmarked for the wind power project whose construction has been delayed by the adjudication process. Presenting the petition, Athwana Member of County Assembly (MCA) and Majority Leader Victor Karithi said there was need to probe . . . Complete story »
Kinangop Wind Park loses Sh31b claim against GoK in London Court
London, UK, Jul 6 – The International Court of Arbitration seating in London, has dismissed a claim against the Government of Kenya for over Sh31 billion that had been filed by Kinangop Wind Park Limited. The Tribunal in its award issued on 2nd July 2018 dismissed all the claims by the wind power firm but has reserved the final award on costs of the arbitration. The arbitration arose out of a proposed 60.8 Megawatt wind turbine farm to be located . . . Complete story »