In Kenya, from July 2024 to June 2025, the consumption of electricity reflects a significant reliance on clean energy, with geothermal, hydropower, and wind collectively contributing over 90% of total electricity generation. Specifically, geothermal energy accounts for nearly half of the clean power, followed by hydropower, which supplies about a third. Wind, while not as dominant, along with net imports, still provide meaningful contributions to the nation's clean energy portfolio. Dependence on fossil fuels is minimal, contributing close to none. However, Kenya's electricity consumption of 251 kWh per person is considerably below the global average of 3781 kWh per person, suggesting potential challenges including limited access to energy, which can impede economic development and the integration of modern technologies that require substantial electricity.
Is Electricity Growing in Kenya?
When considering electricity growth, Kenya has seen a slight increase in electricity consumption per person, with a recent figure of 251 kWh compared to the previous record of 244 kWh in 2022. This marks a moderate improvement, underscoring a positive trend despite the challenges. However, low-carbon electricity saw a minor decrease from its previous peak of 210 kWh per person, now standing at 208 kWh. This slight reduction in clean energy growth is concerning given Kenya's reliance on such energy sources, emphasizing the need for continued investment and innovation in the sector to foster both economic growth and sustainable development.
Suggestions
To bolster Kenya's low-carbon electricity generation, expanding the existing wind capacity is pivotal. With more than half of its electricity already from clean sources, learning from regions with successful solar and nuclear integration could be instrumental. For instance, the People's Republic of China is a leader in both solar and wind energy, with significant contributions of 1025 TWh and 1122 TWh, respectively. The United States also presents a strong case with their advancements in nuclear energy, generating 778 TWh. Similarly, Brazil's sizable wind energy generation and Japan's solar efforts provide inspiration for Kenya to diversify its electricity mix with both solar and nuclear opportunities, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and enhancing energy security.
History
Historically, Kenya's development in low-carbon electricity has seen various patterns. The late 1990s and early 2000s experienced fluctuations with hydropower seeing both declines and increases, stabilizing in the subsequent years with intermittent enhancements. Remarkable improvements in geothermal energy came in 2014 and 2015, contributing significantly to the country's clean energy supply. Recently, wind energy has seen considerable growth, notably around 2019 and 2021. While some years marked reductions in hydropower, the consistent growth in geothermal and wind energy highlights Kenya's ability to adapt and invest wisely in sustainable electricity sources.
Electrification
We estimate the degree of electrification by comparing electricity and total energy emissions. More about methodology.