Geothermal Energy Development is the way to go for Kenya.

Based on the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21^st Century 2014 report, renewables contributed 19 percent to global energy consumption and 22 percent to electricity generation in 2012 and 2013, respectively. This energy consumption is divided as 9% coming from traditional biomass, 4.2% as heat energy (non-biomass), 3.8% hydro electricity and 2% is electricity from wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass. Worldwide investments in renewable technologies amounted to more than US$214 billion in 2013, with countries like China and the United States heavily investing in wind, hydro, solar and biofuels.

Kenya has taken some significant steps to boost its renewable energy production recently, according to reports. Major focus has been put on the development of geothermal energy. Kenya is the first African country to build geothermal energy sources and tap geothermal power. She is also the largest producer of geo-energy in Africa, harnessing power from steam released by hot rocks beneath the Rift valley. Geothermal power has a prominent place in Kenya?s development plans. These include the Vision 2030, the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP), and the current ?5000+ MW in 40 months initiative?.

Currently geothermal energy accounts for 20% of total installed capacity of the Kenyan grid. The country has set out ambitious targets for geothermal energy, with the aim to expand its geothermal power production capacity to 5,530 MW or 26% of total capacity by 2030. This will make Kenya?s largest source of electricity clean energy by 2030. As of October 2014, Kenya had an installed geothermal capacity of approximately 340 MW.

The Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen), which is 70% state-owned, has built three plants to exploit the Olkaria geothermal resource, Olkaria I (185 MW), Olkaria II (150 MW) and Olkaria IV (140 MW) with a third private plant Olkaria III (110 MW). Kenya currently has a total of 590 MW of installed geothermal capacity. The Olkaria plant comprises the 140 MW Olkaria IV and units four and five of Olkaria I, each with a generating capacity of 70 MW. The World Bank confirmed on February that the Olkaria I units had been successfully commissioned earlier in the month, marking the completion of the project.

World Bank Country Director for Kenya Diarietou Gaye said the bank?s support for the Olkaria plant in the Rift Valley was ?a key infrastructure investment in one of the largest single geothermal investment projects in the world?.

World Bank energy sector manager in Eastern and Southern Africa Lucio Monari further said the bank?s work with other development partners ?has helped Kenya make significant progress in increasing the supply of reliable and low-cost electricity?. According to the bank, ?geothermal power, which is generated from natural steam from the earth, some from as far as three kilometres underground, is a renewable source of energy and, unlike hydro, its output is not affected by change of weather?.

The Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) recently reported that at 7.2 US cents per kilowatt hour, geothermal energy is among the cheapest renewable sources of electricity in the country and the world. According to KenGen, electricity production in the country from hydropower will soon be ?relegated to second place?.

The International  Energy Agency?s ?Africa Energy Output? report said that channeling an additional $450 billion in power sector investment could help boost the economy in sub-Saharan Africa by around 30% in 2040. The report said geothermal energy was also set to become ?the second-largest source of power supply in East Africa, mainly in Kenya and Ethiopia?.

The Government of Kenya has also promoted geothermal development in new fields, including the 1600MW Menengai Project run by the Geothermal Development Company. Geothermal power has the potential to provide reliable, cost-competitive, base-load power with a small carbon footprint, and reduces vulnerability to climate by diversifying power supply away from hydropower, which currently provides the majority of Kenya?s electricity.

With the significant effort that the Government has put in developing geothermal energy, continuous support from international partners and local investors Kenya is set to fully explore geothermal energy as its main source of electricity. This means electricity will be more affordable and accessible countrywide. This will lower the cost of manufacturing products in industries, increase the rate of production which will in turn improve the economy of the country.