Building capabilities in the wind and solar sector in Kenya

Kenya is one of the fastest growing promoters of solar and wind power in Africa. These energy sources are increasingly being utilised to ensure energy security, drive Kenya’s development, diversify energy sources and create employment and income generating opportunities to the growing population of Kenya. Wind and solar energy development projects provide opportunities to build capabilities at different levels along the manufacturing and deployment chain. However, the contribution of renewable energy sources to Kenya’s installed generation capacity has remained insignificant. Further, there is little empirical evidence to show the role solar and wind energy infrastructure specifically plays on economic growth.

This brief conveys the results of a stakeholder survey done in 2016 investigating how barriers to diffusion of technologies can be reduced through building requisite skills and capabilities in the solar PV and wind subsectors.