50 MW Solar Park in Garissa Kenya will be among the largest in Africa

Great for Northern Kenya and Kenya as a whole.

Greening Kenya

A 50-MW solar power plant is in the planning stages for Garissa in the northern region of Kenya. It will be one of the largest grid-connected solar power plants in Africa.

It will be curious to see how many homes in the local area it can power. In the United States, a megawatt has been estimated to be enough to power 500 to 1,000 homes. In Kenya, the average home may use quite a bit less electricity.

The town of Garissa has about 65,000 residents. Just for the sake of example, say there are four residents per home, or about 15,000 homes. A 50-MW in this area could meet all the electricity needs, and beyond.

“We are pleased to be a part of Kenya’s push towards clean-tech development and commitment to renewable energy. As a market leader in the solar energy business, JinkoSolar will play a key role in supply…

View original post 142 more words

Advertisements

50 MW Solar Park in Garissa Kenya will be among the largest in Africa

A 50-MW solar power plant is in the planning stages for Garissa in the northern region of Kenya. It will be one of the largest grid-connected solar power plants in Africa.

It will be curious to see how many homes in the local area it can power. In the United States, a megawatt has been estimated to be enough to power 500 to 1,000 homes. In Kenya, the average home may use quite a bit less electricity.

The town of Garissa has about 65,000 residents. Just for the sake of example, say there are four residents per home, or about 15,000 homes. A 50-MW in this area could meet all the electricity needs, and beyond.

“We are pleased to be a part of Kenya’s push towards clean-tech development and commitment to renewable energy. As a market leader in the solar energy business, JinkoSolar will play a key role in supply Kenya’s growing demand for solar energy. By cooperating with CJIC, we expect this project will provide JinkoSolar with future opportunities in Kenya’s solar power plant industry,” said Mr. Kangping Chen, Chief Executive Officer of JinkoSolar.

Technical support will be provided to the solar power project by JinkoSolar, and they are the preferred module supplier to Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic & Technical Co, Ltd., which is working on the construction.

Kenya has a very high solar potential. A World Bank document said the country has the equivalent annual solar power potential of 70 million tons of oil.

Solar power is being used on a small scale there. For example, sunlight is being used for charging cell-phones in rural areas. Oil is Kenya’s second largest import commodity. Also, micro-solar has been used to power some schools, and more solar development is being planned.

JinkoSolar to Help CJIC Develop Kenya’s Largest Solar Plant – 50MW

JinkoSolar Holding Co. (JKS), a Chinese solar panel maker, will help China Jiangxi Corp. for International Economic & Technical Cooperation, or CJIC, develop a 50-megawatt solar park in Kenya.

The manufacturer agreed to provide solar panels and technical support for the photovoltaic plant at Garissa in the northwest of the country, according to a statement today. The grid-connected project will generate about 76,474 megawatt hours each year, helping reduce coal consumption, it said.

Upon completion, the project will be Kenya’s largest solar park and one of the biggest in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the company. Plants of more than 50 megawatts have only been announced in South Africa and Namibia, while the largest operating in the region is a 5-megawatt plant in Cape Verde, Bloomberg New Energy Finance data show.

In August, Jingkosolar agreed to supply 1 megawatt of panels to a chrome mine in South Africa and said it sees opportunities for solar power in the country.

CJIC, a contractor, has experience building infrastructure projects such as hydroelectric plants and roads in African countries.

Net-MeteringReport Kenya

Net-MeteringReport Kenya

1MW solar plant in India… Kenya can do this too.

Thika Superhighway should go Solar street lighting way

We are all excited about the Thika Superhighway project which is a great thing. It’s good to be positive and that’s the spirit we should all have. Thika Superhighway will surely change the Kenyan economy in a positive way.

The only thing it’s designers missed in a big way is energy factor. Part of it from Waiyaki Way all the way through forest Road they have installed solar street light. It would have been great if the whole idea of solar street lighting was extended up to Thika  because the amount of energy that will be consumed by street light will be gimme will be immense.

We are all excited about the Thika Superhighway project which is a great thing. It’s good to be positive and that’s the spirit we should all have. Thika Superhighway will surely change the Kenyan economy in a positive way.

The only thing it’s designers missed in a big way is energy factor. Part of it from Waiyaki Way all the way through forest Road they have installed solar street light. It would have been great if the whole idea of solar street lighting was extended up to Thika  because the amount of energy that will be consumed by street lights will be immense.