ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ON ENERGYEFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION IN
NAIROBI

Dr. Leah Oyake-Ombis
Sustainable Energy for All Initiative
29-30th October, 2015
Tokyo, Japan“The City of choice of to invest, work and live in”

Content• Background• Current situation• Other untapped source of energy• Opportunity for energy from municipal SW inNairobi• Challenges in achieving energy efficiency &conservation• Potential benefits in energy efficiency &conservation2

Background

Characteristics of Kenya and its capital (Nairobi CityCounty)•Population : 42 million; 4 million(Nairobi)•Political system: Unitary state;
multiparty democracy; devolvedgovernance•Divisions: 47 counties; 17 Sub-counties
in Nairobi•Area: 582,646 Km2; Nairobi is 696Km2•Official language: English and Kiswahili•Climate: Lies on the equator
experiencing a range of tropical totemperate conditions
3•Currency: Kenya Shilling

Background (2)Main Energy Policy in Kenya:• National Energy Policy of 2014- whose overall objective is toensure sustainable, adequate, affordable, competitive, secureand reliable supply of energy to meet national and county
needs at least cost, while protecting and conserving theenvironment.
• Some of the salient issues related to this policy include,
improved access to quality, reliable and affordable energy
services; promotion of energy efficiency and conservation;prioritize and promote development of indigenous primaryand secondary energy resources; ensure that prudent
environmental, social, health and safety considerations arefactored in energy sector developments amongst others.

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Background (3)Other Legal frameworks related to the Energy Sector:•••

The Constitution of Kenya, 2010 which provides for a two tier structure of government,
i.e. the National and the County Governments sharing some functions related toEnergy Development. Energy policy including electricity and gas reticulation and energy
regulation are still National Government functions while; County Governments shall be
responsible for county planning and development including electricity and gas
reticulation and energy regulation.
The Energy Act, No. 12 enacted in 2006 and provide for the establishment, powers andfunctions of the Energy Regulatory Commission, the Energy Tribunal and the Rural
Electrification Authority.
The Geothermal Resources Act No. 12, enacted in 1982 to control the exploitation anduse of geothermal resources and vests the resources in the National Government.

•The Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act, Chapter 308 of the Laws of Kenya wasenacted to regulate the negotiation and conclusion by the Government of petroleum
agreements relating to the exploration for, development, production and transportationof, petroleum.

•The Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act, 1999, which regulates theenvironmental aspect of the energy sector.

•5Current situation (1)Institutions related to Energy Policies whether environmental or otherwise:-• Ministry of Water, Environment & Natural Resources both at theNational & County Levels;• National Environment Management Authority- Environmental
Regulatory institution;• County Sector of Water, Energy, Forestry, Environment & NaturalResources- Electricity & Gas Reticulation;
Energy sector:• Ministry of Energy & Petroleum- national policy formulation;• Kenya Electricity Generating Company;• Kenya Power & Lighting Company- Supply of electric power;• Energy Regulatory Commission- Regulation of energy6Current situation (2)-Sources of Energy in Kenya
Target: 5000MW by 2017
Nairobi’s energy consumption = 60%

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Current situation (3)• There is high wastage and loses of energy in ourindustries, commercial buildings and institutions which
account for about 35%. This can be interpreted to525MW of our installed capacity.
• There is a low understanding of the need to observeand implement energy conservation measure amongmajor energy consumers.
• Implementation of Energy Management Regulations,2012 and adoption of energy efficiency andconservation measures in our industries, commercialand institution facilities can be able to save up to 35%of their primary energy inputs or deliver financial
savings of over KES.2.5 billions per annum.
8Current situation (4)The national Government recognizes the need to remove
barriers and constrains to adoption of energy efficiency andconservation technologies and has committed to put
appropriate measures in place including:• encouraging private sector participation in providing
technical and financial support for energy conservation andefficiency;• enhancing the provision of energy audits and advisory
services by the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum toinstitutions and companies including sensitization ofindustries and financial institutions on benefits efficiency.
9Current situation (5)Also, under the National Energy Management Regulations, 2012 thefollowing are envisaged:• Facilitation of efficient use of energy through better
understanding of supply and use, management, and theimplementation of energy efficiency and conservation measuresin industrial, commercial buildings and institutional facilities.
• Facilitation of the implementation ofConservation measures.

Energy Efficiency and• Governing of the operations of energy management andconservation and licensing of Energy Auditors and Audit firms10

Current situation (6)•Under the National Energy (Solar water heating) Regulations , 2012that aims to promote uptake and guide the incorporation of lowtemperature solar water heating (SWH) systems in industrial,commercial and residential buildings, there is recognition that:•The Uptake level of solar water heating systems in Kenya isextremely low compared to:–Enormous potential provided by the abundant availability of thesolar energy resource– Demand for low temperature water for both domestic andcommercial applications

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Other untapped source of Energy•Despite all these policy statements and pieces oflegislations related to energy, Kenya does not havea specific environmental policy targeting the energy
sector.
•Nonetheless, at the County level, Nairobi City has
drafted a Solid Waste Management Bill which has
been approved awaiting gazetement that recognizes
the need to exploit possibility of waste-to-energy
12Opportunities for Energy from MSW in Nairobi (1)Solid waste streams ( JICA Survey, 2010)

Waste stream

Tonnage%Food

1497.6

62.4

Paper

336

14.0

Plastic

261.6

10.9

Others252

10.5

Glass36

1.5

Metal

16.8

0.7

Total240010013

Opportunity for Energy from MSW in
Nairobi (3)• Dandora which is thefinal disposal site hasreceived over 1.8
million m3 against its
capacity of 500,000 m3• High possibility ofmethane gas
accumulation since1981

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Challenges in Achieving Energy Efficiency and Conservation•Insufficient data on energy efficiency and energy utilization inindustrial, commercial and institutions; limited number of trained,
qualified and certified personnel to undertake energy efficiency
assessment, project development and implementation.
•Low tariffs; inadequate financing; lack of incentives including
financial barriers for energy efficiency projects; inadequate securities
and guarantees; open and easy access for grid connected powersupplies.
•Inadequate land & right of way for RES generated electricity;
Inadequate infrastructure (Grid – Transmission & Distribution) toevacuate generated power.
•Minimal awareness on Renewable Energy Investment Opportunities•Inadequacy of concise legal & regulatory frameworks
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Potential Benefits in Energy Efficiency and Conservation•Reduction of energy wastage in our industries,
commercial buildings and institutions hence, minimizethe use of expensive emergency power.
•Increasing energy utilization index in our energy
consuming facilities hence making our locallymanufactured products competitive in the worldmarket.
•Reduction of the cost of energy, improve energy
security (by reducing dependence on importedpetroleum) and improve competiveness and mitigate
climate change by lowering GHG emissions.
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