NAIROBI, May 31 – The Ministry of Energy on Friday announced that it has put in place a power development plan aimed at developing new cost –effective power generation in the country.
Speaking during the 2007 Energy Management Awards (EMA), Energy Permanent Secretary Patrick Nyoike said the ministry has also developed a power tariff policy meant to attract new investments in wind, mini-hydro and bio fuel based electricity generation.
“As a country we have decided to make a shift towards a source of energy that can give us comparative advantage cost,” said Nyoike.
The PS further stated that the ministry had remitted Sh10 million to the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) and would increase the amount to Sh30 million to aid energy management in the public and private sectors.
He underscored the need for collective efforts towards conserving energy and emphasised the importance of diversifying primary fuel mixers to include agro mass and bio fuels.
These, Nyoike said, would help mitigate the impact of rising fossil fuel costs.
He added that the Energy Ministry would aspire to transform rural energy supply by facilitating the development of cleaner alternatives, through the development of mini-hydros and bio fuel base power generation.
“This will greatly contribute to building the rural economy and creating a bigger market for manufactured products.”
“It is worthwhile to note that some factories have already embraced this initiative and implemented fuel switch projects from primary fossil fuels to biomass fuel,” explained the PS.
KAM Chairman Steven Smith in his remarks called for a private-public partnership in waste recycling for energy generation.
“We need to help other industries move forward at a faster pace, through government private partnerships such as collecting tyres that can be used in furnaces in cement factories,” Smith suggested.
He proposed the creation of a public awareness program through which energy management and conservation could be created countrywide.
During the awards, Pan Paper Mills scooped the overall Energy Management Award.
Other companies also emerged winners in different categories; PZ Cussons Limited scooped the Electricity Savings Award, Unilever Kenya Limited took home the Fuel Savings Award, while Turtle Bay Beach Resort of Mombasa got the Service Sector Award.
In the Energy Innovation Award category, Bidco Oil Refineries Limited carried the day and Nakuru’s Spin Knit Limited carried home the Best Energy Management Team plaque.
