When it comes to renewable energy resources, Kenya is well known for its abundant geothermal energy. However, it also has huge potential for solar and wind exploitation. That’s why the government aims to have 600 MW of solar power generation capacity installed by 2030, up from less than 100 MW currently installed (South Africa’s largest solar project alone is almost 100 MW). Expected is that this number will increase with many projects in the pipeline. Find out which are the ten largest solar projects in Kenya so far launched and under development.
The 10 largest solar projects in Kenya ranked by MW-peak are the following:
- Garissa Solar Project – 55 MW
- Malindi Solar Plant – 52 MW
- Alten Keesses (1) – 52 MW
- Kopere Solar Project – 50 MW
- Eldosol Solar Plant – 48 MW
- Radiant – 50MW
- Rumuruti Solar Project- 40 MW
- Nakuru (Migitiyo) – 40 MW
- WITU – 40 MW
- Makindu Solar Plant- 33 MW
See below the full table with the 10 largest solar projects in Kenya.
| Garissa | Malindi | Keesses 1 | Kopere | Eldosol | Radiant | Rumuruti | Nakuru | WITU | Makindu | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size (Megawatts- peak) | 54.7 MW | 52 MW | 52 MW | 50 MW | 48 MW | 48 MW | 40 MW | 40 MW | 40 MW | 33 MW |
| Location | Garissa County | Kilifi County | Uasin Gishu County | Nandi County | Uasin Gishu County | Uasin Gishu County | Laikipia County | Nakuru County | Lamu County | Makueni County |
| Construction Start | May 2017 | June 2019 | December 2018 | December 2019 | Q1 2019 | Q1 2019 | Under development. | Under development | Under development | Under development |
| Operation Start | November 2018 | Under Construction | Under Construction | Under Construction | Constructed – awaiting commissioning. | Constructed – awaiting commissioning. | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Developer/ Sponsor (s) | Rural Electrification Authority (REA) | Globeleq | Alten Africa | Kopere Solar Park Ltd. | Selenkei Investment Ltd. | Selenkei Investment Ltd | Rumuruti Solar Generation Holding | Astonfield Sosian Solar Ltd. | Kenya Solar Energy Ltd. | responsAbility Renewable Energy Holding (rAREH) |
| Owner | REA | Malindi Solar Group Ltd. | Alten Africa | Voltalia | Selenkei Investment Ltd. | Selenkei Investment Ltd | Rumuruti Solar Generation Holding | Sosian Energy Ltd. | Kenya Solar Energy Ltd. (Kensen) | rAREH Icon Solar Ltd. |
| Offtaker | KPLC | KPLC | KPLC | KPLC | KPLC | KPLC | KPLC | KPLC | KPLC | KPLC |
| PPA | 25 years | 20 years | 20 years | 20 years | 20 years | 20 years | 20 years | Advanced Negotiations | Negotiations | 20 years |
| PPA Price per kWh | US$0.12 | Unknown | US$0.12 | US$0.08 | US$0.12 | US$0.12 | US$0.08 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
1. GARISSA 54.7 MW
The Garissa solar plant, which is currently the biggest of the solar projects in Kenya and East Africa, is a US$138 million utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) farm located in the town of Garissa, Garissa county, in the North Eastern part of the country.
The solar farm, which comprises around 210,000 solar panels, sits on 85 hectares (210 acres) of land.
The plant construction was expected to create about 1,000 jobs locally, and electricity generated from the farm could power 625,000 homes.
The grid-connected plant is owned by the Rural Electrification Authority (REA). The contractor for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) was China Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic and Technical Cooperation (CJIC).
The plant started operations in November 2018 and was officially launched in December 2019.
The REA was expected to sell the electricity generated at Garissa to KPLC at US$0.12 per kWh.
2. MALINDI 52 MW
The Malindi solar project is a US$66 million utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plant located in the coastal town of Malindi, Kilifi county, in the South eastern part of the country.
Malindi is Kenya’s second-largest coastal center after the port city of Mombasa.
The grid-connected plant is majority owned and operated by British independent power producer Globeleq. The contract for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) was awarded to Sterling & Wilson Solar, a subsidiary of the Indian company Sterling & Wilson.
The plant construction is expected to create about 250 jobs locally while 150 permanent jobs are expected to be directly or indirectly created once the plant starts operation.
Globeleq will sell the electricity generated at Malindi to Kenya Power and Lighting (KPLC).
3. ALTEN KEESSES ONE 51.5 MW
The Keesses 1 solar plant is a US$45 million utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) farm under construction near the town of Eldoret, Uasin Gishu county, in the Western part of the country.
The solar farm sits on 100 hectares (247 acres) of land.
The electricity generated from the farm could power 245,000 homes through the national grid.
The plant is owned by Spanish independent power producer Alten Energías Renovables through its subsidiary, Alten Africa. The contractor for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) is French firm Voltalia.
Its construction started in December 2018 and is by date 3rd of the largest solar projects in Kenya.
The electricity from the plant will be sold to KPLC at US$0.12 per kWh.
4. KOPERE 50 MW
The Kopere solar plant is a US$64 million utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) farm located in the town of Kopere, Nandi county, in the Western part of the country.
The solar farm sits on 158 hectares (390 acres) of land.
The electricity generated from the farm could supply power to 600,000 people through the national grid.
The grid-connected plant is owned by french firm Voltalia. The contractor for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) is Portuguese subsidiary Voltalia Portugal SA.
Its construction started in December 2019.
The electricity from the plant will be sold to KPLC at US$0.08 per kWh.
5. ELDOSOL 48 MW
The Eldosol solar plant is a US$78 million utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plant located in Kipchamo Village, which is 13.5 km southeast of Eldoret, Uasin Gishu county, in the Western part of the country.
The solar farm sits on 121 hectares (301 acres) of land.
The electricity generated from the farm, coupled with the power from the adjacent Radiant solar farm, could power over 300,000 homes through the national grid.
The plant is owned by a consortium of companies through the project developer Selenkei Investment Ltd., which is a Kenya-incorporated SPV. Danish firm Frontier Investment Management is the majority shareholder in Selenkei.
The contractor for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) was Spanish firm Grupotec.
The plant is awaiting commissioning.
The electricity from the plant will be sold to KPLC at US$0.12 per kWh.
6. RADIANT 48 MW
The Radiant solar plant is a US$70 million utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plant located adjacent to the Eldosol solar plant. The two power plants share facilities.
It also sits on 121 hectares (301 acres) of land.
The plant is owned by the same consortium of companies that own Eldosol, number 5 of the largest solar projects in Kenya.
It’s also awaiting commissioning.
The electricity from the plant will be sold to KPLC at US$0.12 per kWh.
7. RUMURUTI 40 MW
The Rumuruti solar plant is a US$70 million utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plant approved for construction in the town of Rumuruti, Laikipia county, in the Northern part of the country.
The solar farm sits on 300 acres of land.
The plant will be owned and operated by project developer Rumuruti Solar Generation Holding, which is a UK-incorporated SPV.
Its construction was slated to start in early 2020 but the project suffered a setback in August 2020 when a key financier pulled out of the project.
The electricity from the plant will be sold to KPLC at US$0.08 per kWh.
8. NAKURU 40 MW
The Nakuru solar farm, also known as the Migotiyo solar park is a US$65 million utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plant announced for construction in the town of Nakuru, Nakuru county, in the Eastern part of the country.
The solar park will sit on 400 acres of land.
The solar park will be owned and operated by project developer Sosian Energy Ltd.
The electricity from the plant will be sold to KPLC.
9. WITU 40 MW
The Witu solar plant is a US$160 million utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plant under development in the town of Witu, Lamu County, in the South Eastern part of the country. It is number 9 of the largest solar projects in Kenya
The solar park will be developed and owned by a Chinese firm locally registered as Kenya Solar Energy Ltd. (Kensen).
The contractor for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) is Wartsila Eastern Africa Ltd., the local subsidiary of Finnish energy firm Wartsila.
The electricity from the grid-connected plant will be sold to KPLC.
10. MAKINDU 33 MW
The Makindu solar plant is a utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plant under development in Makindu, Makueni County in the Southern part of the country.
The plant is owned and operated by Swiss investment firm responsAbility Renewable Energy Holding (rAREH) and its co-developers.
The electricity from the plant will be sold to KPLC.
