Workshop V: Rolling out wind projects in Kenya & Africa

The session aims to present and discuss the experiences by private sector in developing and operating wind projects in Kenya and other countries on the African continent.  

Still today, Kenya hosts the largest wind energy project in sub-Saharan Africa, the 310 MW Lake Turkana project. Together with the 25,5 MW Ngong Hills and 100 MW Kipeto wind parks, Kenya’s wind energy’s installed capacity amounted to 436 MW or 13,5% of total installed capacity end of 2024.  

With the Ngong Hills Wind Power Station established already back in 1993, Kenya was the first country on the continent to embrace wind energy. A major milestone and a landmark project for sustainable energy in Sub-Saharan Africa has been the Lake Turkana wind farm. Today still the largest private investment in Kenya (approx. €622 million), the project comprises 365 VESTAS wind turbines of each 0,85MW. Next to European technology, also its financing by EIB, FMO, Proparco, DEG and Triodos, together with Export Credit Agency EKF evidences the strong European track record in renewables.  

Since then, we have witnessed wind energy’s installed capacity rising quickly worldwide, including in sub Saharan Africa, especially in South Africa, Mauritania, Senegal, Ethiopia and Djibouti, Kenya evidences a limited increase.  

Kenya’s 2025 Energy Compact aims to more than double the installed capacity in wind energy to 396 MW by 2030, or an increase with 530 MW. This panel aims to take stock of Kenya’s wind energy development, its perspectives and why EU companies are excellently positioned to realise this potential?