Kenya, China ink deal to promote cooperation in renewable energy

NAIROBI, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Kenya and China signed an agreement on Wednesday to promote cooperation in renewable energy in the East African country.

Cynthia Muhati, acting chief executive officer at the Kenya Renewable Energy Association, said that under the partnership, Chinese counterparts are expected to help Kenya unlock finance for additional investment in green energy projects.

"Kenya will also benefit from capacity building through technology from China to ensure locals develop solar and other renewable technologies and products that are competitive," Muhati said in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, during the 2024 China-Africa Digital Financial Inclusion Summit.

The day-long meeting, attended by over 100 participants from China and Africa, was convened to deliberate on strategies for decreasing the percentage of the population without access to financial services. The participants included officials from central banks, governments, and development financial institutions.

Data from the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Agency indicates that Kenya's installed electricity capacity stands at 3,112 megawatts (MW) out of which solar contributes 210 MW.

Wang Weiquan, director of the China Renewable Energy Industry Association, said that the Asian nation is committed to supporting Kenya to expand its electricity generation capacity from renewable sources of energy.

Wang added that, under the agreement, China and Kenya will also undertake joint assessments to better understand the needs of Kenya's renewable energy market.