WATTS UP | The Energy Magazine February-March 2018 by WATTS UP MAGAZINE

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THE ENERGY MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH 2018

KEEPING THE OIL DREAM ALIVE

MARTIN MBOGO TULLOW OIL COUNTRY MANAGER

MUSEVENI: STIMA SACCO:

Introducing Islamic banking products

KENYA POWER: Dazzling the six million electricity consumers

Will go nuclear unless... SPECIAL FEATURE

Women in Energy Awards 2017

GEORGE ODUNDO: ‘Energizing’ the capital markets

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MWANGAZA mitaani

CONTENTS

19 ‘Energizing’ the

capital markets:

The bourse offers rich openings to the numerous energy firms to raise funds to finance their projects

Geoffrey Odundo: CEO NSE

LAPSSET:

Giving shape to Kenya’s natural gateway to the Indian and Atlantic oceans

Innovation:

Museveni bets on nuclear energy:

Is nanotechnology a new front in clean energy search?

Unless solar becomes a cheaper alternative source of clean energy, Africa and Uganda in particular will have to use nuclear energy to improve the wellbeing of its people.

7 Stima Sacco eyes

Islamic Products:

Sharia-compliant offering is part of a five-year diversification plan which also seeks to expand long term loans, house mortgages and provide members with housing schemes.

Chris Useki: CEO Stima Sacco

CONTENTS

Women in Energy Conference 2017

Women at the centre of clean energy:

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time for women to be at the centre of Production Value Chain.

Nile River :

With the Environmental Impact Report out, will Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia agree?

Echoes of ancient rivalry as Putin builds gas pipelines to Asia: Talk of Great Game in the air as Russia plans to sell its Iran-based oil to India

Nora Magero: Guiding girls down the clean energy path

A safe pair of eyes for rural areas: Having grown up in the village, Jemeli Toroitich has earned a medal of honour by helping rid kitchen off smoke through...

CONTENTS

Dazzling the six million electricity consumers : Kenya Power is replacing its current integrated system with a cutting edge customer service technology.

Dr. Ken Tarus: CEO Kenya Power

Seeking dignity for slum dwellers: Tania Laden has earned a name by training and hiring women living in informal settlements to sell environmentally friendly energy appliances.

Lighting up villages: The Sh15 billion ($1.5 million) loan from the World Bank Group will finance off-grid power projects, enabling small businesses to sprout in the villages.

Diana Njeru

Africa is lit:

“And like a Jedi with her saber, my camera is my weapon and light the force. My assignment; to ‘deepict’ the progressive wonder of light in our beautiful continent.”

COVER STORY

Keeping the oil export dream alive:

Martin Mbogo: Tullow Country Manager

It’s official now. Kenya plans to export its oil in the next four years.

FROM CHIEF ENERGIZING OFFICER’S DESK

JAMES NGOMELI

Chief Energising Officer Let’s make 2018 another year for energy

had the honor of hosting the Second Women in energy conference and awards 2017 .The event supported by Ministry of Energy and co -hosted by Brands and Beyond Ltd who are Publishers of the Magazine. The event was very successful with over one hundred and fifty participants still making it the largest gathering of thought women leaders in the energy sector. The partnership with County First Ladies Association was a game-changer bringing in the connection between companies and the local women at the grassroots level. The objective of the conference and awards was to share knowledge-building, sharing via discourse, creating opportunities for business development, recognizing women who have excelled in the sector, networking and access. Our speakers were amazing and would like to congratulate them for sharing their experience in a candid manner . New winners emerged in various categories which was very encouraging to see the awards tapping in new talents in the energy sector. The success of the key pillars of President Uhuru’s legacy that is: affordable Health care and housing , manufacturing and food security are the most hitched on the success of bringing more women in production value chain . The Energy sector will be key in successful delivery of this pillars. Hence I encourage women to take up those opportunities as the present themselves. Wishing all our readers a happy new year and happy reading

WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

THE TEAM

Publisher & CEO: James Ngomeli

Editors:

1. Nicholas Waitahi 2. Marion Wagaki 3. Victor Obure

Creative:

Kelvin Mabonga

Contributors:

1.Cynthia Wanjiru 2. Stella Wambui 3. R.Sasankan Publishing Company Brands & Beyond Ltd

Views & opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Brands & Beyond Ltd, its publisher and or its editors. We at Brands and Beyond Ltd do our best to verify the information published, but do not take any responsibility for the absolute accuracy of the information. Brands and Beyond Ltd does not accept any responsibility for any investment or other decision taken by readers on the basis of information provided herein.

FINANCING

Stima Sacco eyes Islamic products

Sharia-compliant offering is part of a five-year diversification plan which also seeks to expand long term loans, house mortgages and provide members with housing schemes. By NICHOLAS WAITATHU

tima Sacco, one of the leading Sacco’s in the country is seeking to provide Islamic banking in the next five years.

Long Term

The Sacco’s five-year plan, Mr Useki said, targets to expand their range of services that focus on advancing long Chris Useki the Sacco’s Chief Ex- term loans, house mortecutive Officer says the intention gages and also proto venture into Islamic banking is viding their mempart of the institution five year plan bers with housing to diversify the range of services schemes. and increase membership. Stima Sacco is the largest mobi- “We further lizer of funds in the energy sector intend to with its core base being the current enhance employees and former staff of var- agriculture ious parastatals in the energy sec- financtor. Over the years the Sacco has ing in opened its doors to all members of order to public enhance food proMr Useki stressed that there is a duction big difference between Stima Sac- and input co and commercial banks in that contrithe Saccos are owned by members bution to who are its customers while the the general banks have the customers who are economy,” not necessarily owners. Sacco’s are said Mr Usea social entity where serving our ki. customer overrides profit motivation unlike the banks where they “As part of a are driven by profits. In banks the bigger plan, we owners will dictate how the cus- intend to reach out tomers will be served “As l serve to the youth, women my customers I think of them as and the disadvantaged and my employers and owners of the provide them with services that business first hence they dictate the will benefit them. The perception level of service”, he emphasized. that Sacco’s belong to the old is

WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

FINANCING

a tired mindset that needs to be addressed by the industry. We will develop compelling products that will appeal to the youth market.”

loan we took with a local bank at a reasonable rate. We were able to lend the money to our members to electrify homes and since then the loan has been cleared. SecondHe advised that the above target- ly, we have had capacity building ed category of potential members programs with the World Council needs to develop sound business of Credit Union,” Useki confirmed. plans that are feasible to enable He further said, “Institutions that them access more finance. share our values are welcome to partner with us.”

Partnership

“We are on the lookout for partnership that will benefit our customers,” said the CEO. Many financial institutions go out there to seek funds in the name of financial inclusion and serving the rural customers at low interest rates but lend out at commercial rates.

Financial wellness and Inclusion

Chris Useki underscored that their financial model was based on financial wellness and inclusion where they were not only interested in what you were borrowing or saving but walk the whole journey with you to ensure your reasons “We have had a fruitful engage- and objectives for either were satment with USAID which resulted isfied” in an agreement to guarantee a Going forward, Mr. Useki stated the Sacco plan to digitize operating systems to enable members’ access services from their locations and WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

institutions without necessarily going to the head offices and branches.

Dividend payout

For the last 10 years, the Sacco has been paying dividends at 12 percent and 11 percent interest rebate rate. Last year Sacco Regulatory Authority (SASRA) requirement was for all Saccos to meet certain financial conditions in order to remain afloat. “The law required us to ensure we reach an institutional capital of 8 per cent and core capital of 10 per cent. This put a strain on the Saccos cash flows due to its large deposit base and assets,” He said. Last year the interest rate rebate was at 9 per cent and 14 percent dividend rate. It’s the cautiously balancing of members’ expectation, compliance and returns. “Stima Sacco in spite of all that is

FINANCING

still focused on fair returns to all its There are number of products that members, always above the infla- Stima Sacco will be introducing that include big bonds, perfortion rate” he added. mance bonds, invoice discounting and LPO financing, giving a 360 Guarantors One area the Sacco was losing po- degree service. tential clients to banks was the issue of guarantors, where a few years Home of ‘Chamas’ back a potential borrower had to The Sacco wants to work with look for five guarantors. This is no ‘Chamas’, business clubs and merlonger the case now; the Sacco ad- ry-go-rounds. “Our big picture is vances loans to its members using to be the home of these informal the same criteria used in commer- business set up.” Chris reiterated. cial banks where one can get a loan “The Sacco will also provide inagainst their title deed, a car log sights into these businesses so as to book or quoted shares in the stock help our members develop sound exchange. “We have more options business plans. Then we walk the than the banks and our customers journey with this informal setups can even suggest any security that together.” he added. is amicable to both of us”. He said With the Chief Executive Officer’s vision of tapping into the youth, Faster loan processing The loans approval process has im- women and disadvantaged we see proved greatly in that if you meet it aligning itself with the key pillars the criteria set you are able to get outlined in the government’s five your loan disbursed within days year plan. Still the market is unor even on the same day. Hence tapped in terms of offering finanthe waiting period is no longer ap- cial inclusion and services. With plicable. This has grown our loan the banks becoming more and book tremendously.

more stringent in dealing with customers we hope that the Sacco movement will fill in those gaps

“As I serve my customers I think of them as my employers and as owners of the business first, hence they dictate the level of service”

IFRS 9

Stima Sacco is looking for ways in which it can exploit new opportunities. One of them is the IFRS 9 where banks will provide for expected loan losses rather than those losses that have already been incurred. As a result, this will have an impact on the profitability and the capital base of banks. “We want to target SMEs. This are the businesses people we would like to appeal to by offering them all what a “Our, core duty is to serve customers by fulfilling their business requires,” the CEO said. financial needs while remaining focused on a fair return to all our members” – Chris Useki, Stima Sacco Chief Executive Officer WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

FINANCING

Wooing banks with green bonds “The Energy sector will remain aligned to the sustainable finance initiative as spearheaded by the Association” –KBA Chief Executive Habil Olaka

10 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

FINANCING

Talks are ongoing between the Kenya Bankers Association and the Nairobi Securities Exchange to establish a green bond market in Kenya later this year By VICTOR OBURE

he quest to enhance the usage of clean energy in the country may soon become a reality, if plans to introduce a green bond market materialises. Pundits are optimistic that the rollout of green bonds will offer the financial impetus required to jumpstart major projects that could revolutionize and align the energy sector to the needs of these modern times.

and listed. The bond made a substantial contribution not just to the Syndicated company’s generation capacity but Olaka told WattsUp magazine that also towards showcasing the capithe banking sector was keen on tal market’s ability to be a conduit clean energy usage and had made for challenging funding to energy deliberate interventions to spear- projects,” Mr Olaka said head the initiative since energy was a pivotal ingredient to economic Top producer growth. He was however quick to note that “The energy sector will remain energy projects take a long period aligned to the sustainable finance to prepare, appraise and finance. initiative as spearheaded by the Banks, he added, are normally inPartnership volved from the early periods of the Kenya Bankers Association (KBA) association. As such, support toproject cycles, and remain adaptive and Nairobi Securities Exchange wards enhancing clean energy usand flexible during the implemen(NSE) are in talks to establish a age remains critical under the Sustation phases. green bond market later this year. tainable Finance Initiative,” said The KBA Chief Executive Officer, Mr Olaka Habil Olaka, says proceeds from Benefits of bonds The advantage of bonds is that it’s the bonds will be channeled into a Over-subscribed pool of credit facilities that are tai- Olaka said local banks were al- an innovative way of raising capital lored to support the establishment ready actively lending to the ener- as opposed to commercial loans. of green energy projects. gy sector through credit facilities Investors are able to track programs to utilities such as Kenya Power, and appreciate what the firms are “The KBA in partnership with the KenGen and Independent Pow- doing in mitigating against climate NSE has been spearheading the er Producers, enabling them to change with their money. development of the green bond bridge current energy shortfall in market in Kenya with a view to the country. Successful local banks, The bonds have a much lower unveiling its inaugural issue later through syndicated arrangements, hence attractive interest rate. One in the year. The proceeds will be have also made available funding major advantage is that project risk earmarked to finance green project to Kenya Pipeline Company for its remains with the issuer. The reincluding renewable energy proj- upgrade programme. payment of the bond is not tied to ects” he said. the success of the project. The chal“It is worth noting that banks sub- lenge, though, is that the bonds are stantially subscribed to the suc- at times used to finance programs cessful bond that KenGen issued that are not in line with climate change mitigation leading to conflict with civil societies across the globe

WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

WOMEN IN ENERGY AWARDS

A Priceless Volunteer

“It is truly satisfying to see girls grow in confidence , succeed in school and become engineers”

Kezia Ntwiga

Power GAGA Award Winner 12 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

WOMEN IN ENERGY AWARDS

Keziah Ntwiga lives her life one day at a time. She gives time and shares her knowledge to empower young girls By MARION WAGAKI

eziah Ntwiga, a volunteer and team member of Bold Limited, a company that organizes Smart Automation believes in no limit to growth in the energy sector unless an individual so chooses.

Ntwiga says she has benefited from mentors and equally facilitates up-skilling sessions for ladies undertaking various engineering courses in the university through the WomEng Kenya Fellowship Program, and high school girls through the GirlEng program, “There is more than enough room Kenya. for everyone to contribute, grow in and benefit from the energy sec- “I have also facilitated practical tor,” she says. “Do not limit your- sessions on projects that require self or your dreams. It is never too the application of an analytical late to join and thrive in the energy mind by ladies and girls in these sector.” programs, and outside WomEng Kenya. I encourage, challenge and Keziah was honoured for her vol- mentor young ladies and young unteer role in the energy sector men undertaking engineering during an energy conference con- courses in university,” She said. vened to honour Women in Ener- Ntwiga a volunteer at the A “Womgy (WIE) 2017 where she scooped Eng” Kenya since 2015 says she POWER GAGA award. undertook a Management TrainThe award was open to women un- ing program in Copy Cat Limited der the age of 30 who have made from 2016 to 2017 under the R & D a mark in the energy space, ei- and Innovation team that involved ther through career advancement, researching into new trends in the business or innovation, that has IT space, as well as designing solubrought change in their space. tions and projects - hardware and software. Ntwiga says the award means that volunteering in the energy space is No pay a valuable part of retaining and en“I currently serve as the Project couraging girls and younger womCoordinator in the team at Women aspiring to be engineers, scienEng Kenya which upskills, mentors tists, researchers, entrepreneurs and celebrate girls and women in and innovators. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)” She Power Gaga Award said. “I’m honoured and encouraged. It “Even with no pay, it is truly satis fulfilling to see such events that isfying to see the girls and young bring together those in the energy ladies grow in confidence and sucspace to share and showcase ideas, ceed in school and as engineers,” innovations and products” said she adds. Ntwiga after being awarded the Ntwiga explains that her inspiPOWER GAGA prize.

ration to join the energy sector was driven by her background in Mechatronic Engineering thus the passion to create solutions. “One of my goals as an engineer is to contribute innovative solutions to the world and invest my time and knowledge in engineering students,” She stressed.

Gratification

“I have seen girls taking up engineering courses as a first choice and actually joining different universities to do engineering. Some have given STEM a second thought after getting a better understanding of the innumerable possibilities therein”, she adds The Power Gaga Award attributes were for nominees who have recorded accomplishments in the field of energy which must be demonstrated by accountability, inclusiveness, innovation and authenticity, other recommendations and philanthropy. They also must have been less than 30 years old as at May 30, 2016. For Keziah Ntwiga giving of her time, sharing knowledge to encourage, challenge and empower girls and ladies gives her gratification. That someone can start right where they are and build from there; with the many innovations in the energy sector such as those in renewable energy, storage of offgrid power, smaller and higher capacity storage units. Truly, the sky is the limit

WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

CORPORATE NEWS

Kenya Power Dazzling the six million electricity consumers

Dr. Ken Tarus, PhD, Managing Director & CEO of Kenya Power. Kenya Power is replacing its current integrated system with a cutting edge customer service technology. NICHOLAS WAITATHU reports that the change is geared towards improving efficiency in handling the growing numbers. 14 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

CORPORATE NEWS

ore power consumers will be connected to the national grid, and efficiently served, thanks to an ambitious plan by Kenya Power to adopt and install a modern customer technology system.

-Integrated Customer Management System (InCMS) - to enhance efficiency. This is a departure from the current Integrated Customer Service (ICS) that has served the company for years. The new InCMS provides a new platform for enhanced service delivery to the The new initiative seeks to enhance company’s esteemed customers. Kenya Power’s competitiveness in the market in the medium term.

“The local electricity sector has undergone tremendous evolution just like other parts of the world in line with growing customer awareness,” One key pillar of the company’s Ken Tarus, Kenya Power five Year Corporate Strategic Plan Managing Director (2016/17 – 2020/21), customer By 2021, the company plans to have expanded the power distribution network by over nine million consumers from the current six million.

centricity, seeks to improve the way the organization handles its The company’s top management consumers. notes that adoption and installation of the InCMS will help in The company also plans to fast- enlisting more consumers and imtrack infrastructure development,- proves provision of quality elecnetwork management, loss reduc- tricity supply to the same. tion, and resource alignment. Dr. Ken Tarus, Kenya Power Managing “Our focus is on increasing cusDirector & CEO says the company tomers’ satisfaction by improving will invest in user-friendly systems the reliability and quality of electhat ride on the latest technology tricity supply across the country.

Further, the intention is to address issues relating to adequate generation capacity, customer connectivity, sales, customer service and demand creation all aimed at reducing operational costs and increasing revenue,” said Dr Tarus. Tremendous evolution He said that the intention to offer quality service was driven by the increasing customers’ awareness of changing technologies hence demand for better services. “Globally, customers are progressively becoming aware. Kenya is no different, as the local electricity sector has undergone tremendous evolution just like other parts of the world,” said Dr. Tarus. For the company to remain the market leader in terms of connecting and distributing power to customers, Tarus clarifies that actions are being fast tracked to invest heavily in customer service by adopting user-friendly systems that ride on the latest technology to enhance efficiency. Switching from the ICS system to the new InCMS, Tarus assures, will enhance

WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

CORPORATE NEWS

the company’s profile in terms of use. This guarantees assurance that connecting and supplying custom- your payment has been received,” he added. ers. New sub-stations “For the last 20 years, Kenya Power has relied on the ICS system. Whereas the system has served the company well over the years, modern developments have brought to the fore its limitations. With the rapid growth in our customer base, standing at over 6Million, the need for a more robust, user friendly and customer facing system cannot be overemphasized,’ says Tarus.

Real-time Tarus stated that contrary to ICS, the InCMS eases the process of bill payments by providing multiple channels such as banks, debit & credit cards and mobile money agents. Customers using any of the payment channels will have their accounts updated on real-time basis. The new technology has a more advanced customer service system that provides a self-service menu

raise issues with the company, access important information such as planned shutdowns for maintenance works and check authenticity of staff, boosting security for our customers as it will deter impersonation. Being a web-based system, InCMS is integrated with Google Maps. Using coordinates in Kenya Power’s Geographic Information System (GIS), meter readers, revenue collectors, inspection staff and other filed staff will be able to identify meter location on site thus reduce the turnaround time for attending to customers in case of outages, reconnection and other activities. Meter readers The new system reduces the time lag between raising a work order and resolving a customer issue which previously took an average of two days.

Further, InCMS incorporates to customers, enabling them to be the International billing-on -site (IBOS) system that is used by utiliIn the last 5 years, the Company self-reliant. ty companies in developed nations has undertaken heavy capital investment in its distribution net- Given that its web based and with to fasten the payment process. This work and infrastructural projects a mobile application module, this system will allow meter readers to to the tune of over Sh120 billion in will allow customers to read their key in meter readings on site and construction of new substations, post-paid meters, query their bills, send feedback to the office for genrefurbishment of the existing dis- buy electricity tokens, among eration of bills. This benefit is extributional network and enhancing many others. This is expected to pected to reduce the billing cycle new connectivity. This has seen an be launched in the second phase of by almost 50 per cent and deal with the challenge of bill estimation. overall improvement on quality of the plan. power supply. In addition, the new customer Staying with modern times, the The system, once fully deployed management system will allow new system has a mobile based will allow, our customers to receive customers to apply for new elec- application allowing our esteemed real-time feedback on all interac- tricity connection and track their customers to manage their bills at applications. Customers can also the palm of their hands through tion with Kenya Power. “For instance, today when cus- use the system to amend the con- their mobile devices tomers pay their bill it takes time tract name in case of changes in for that to be reflected. The new ownership of property. system allows for immediate payment status feedback whichever Web-based channel of payment our customers As well as allowing customers to 16 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

WOMEN IN ENERGY AWARDS

Seeking dignity for slum dwellers

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

My vision is a world in which everyone has access to high quality, safe energy technologies

Tania Laden Professional Non-Technical Award Winner

WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

WOMEN IN ENERGY AWARDS

Tania Laden has made a name training and hiring women living from informal settlements to sell environmentally friendly energy appliances By Wamaitha Omondi

ania Laden embarked on a journey to seek a solution to the chronic unemployment problem in Kenya. That was in 2011. Today, she is the Executive Director of LivelyHoods, a firm that distributes cookstoves, solar lamps and household appliances in Nairobi’s informal settlements.

important technologies would remain useless,” she said. Her focus on women is based not just on their particular challenges in earning a stable income, but also on their active role in household decision-making and their unique perspective on cooking safety and priorities.

The network trains and hires vulnerable, unemployed women and youths to sell environmentally friendly “We provide free, comprehensive four-week trainings and socially transformative products in their own in slum communities, covering basic sales and communities. marketing techniques, including pitching a product and closing the sale, as well as customer service, For her effort to bring life-changing products and professionalism, budgeting and entrepreneurship. information directly to the people who need it most, Trainings serve as a recruitment tool to direct she was awarded the 2017 Professional Award, Non- unemployed youth and women to each of our Technical, during the Women in Energy conference branches,” she said. held in Nairobi. She started out with one branch in Kawangware, The award sought to recognise women from a non- training a dozen young men and women in sales and technical background who have played a crucial role marketing, and selling 50 clean cookstoves per month. in the energy sector by creating an environment for This has now grown to a nationwide distribution women in the formal and non-formal sectors to thrive. network, providing up to 1,100 cookstoves a month in low-income communities. Laden takes pride in “It’s an honor to be recognised for my work in the building a team of young, talented Kenyans whom she energy sector. I have spent the last 7 years working has coached and guided into management positions. to include women and youth in the clean energy supply chain as last mile distributors. It is important The majority (70%) of her 28 employees are former to recognize the value that non-technical actors play sales agents, 56 per cent of them being young women in the sector, since without distribution even the most identified as having leadership qualities

Tania with her distributors 18 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

FINANCING

A call to ‘energize’ capital markets

Geoffrey Odundo, CEO NSE

Speaking during the 2nd Edition Women in Energy Conference held at Strathmore University

The bourse offers rich openings to the numerous energy firms to raise funds to finance their projects

By Nicholas Waitathu

WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

FINANCING

f the many energy firms that have sprouted all over the country, only two have managed to list at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), chief executive officer Geoffrey Odundo says. Listing at NSE would provide the energy firms with opportunity to spruce up corporate governance and raise funds for their many projects on which Kenya’s economy is anchored, he notes. “There are only two energy companies listed on the bourse -KenGen Limited and Kenya Power and these companies have greatly benefited from listing and raised billions of shillings through the vast opportunities the market offers , from Rights Issues, Bonds Offerings among others and improved their corporate governance and company profiling,” said Mr Odundo. A firm may turn to the bourse for capital to grow, strengthen its financial base and to undertake acquisitions, expansion projects and new opportunities that might otherwise not have been possible with internal resources.

Commercial loans

“Instruments in the form of equity, debt, grants, guarantees, fiscal incentives and specific contract clauses based on project needs are improving”, Odundo said. Given challenges in securing commercial loans, Kenya’s energy sector has relied mainly on a joint initiative of the

World Bank Group and the Private Public Partnership (PPP) Unit Kenya to try to improve the bankability of projects.

Power Africa

In 2013, US President Barack Obama in his Africa tour launched an energy programme dubbed Power Africa aimed at supporting economic growth and development by increasing access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable power in Africa.

Technical assistance

The programme was designed as a multi-stakeholder partnership among the governments of the United States of America, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria and Liberia, the US and the African private sector. “Power Africa is supporting the development of the energy sector through financing, grants, technical assistance, and investment promotion. Power Africa is working to mobilise more than Sh100 billion (US$1 billion) in private investment for electricity to accelerate geothermal and wind projects,” Odundo added. To encourage more companies

20 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

raise capital from the stock market, Odundo said NSE team will continue creating awareness to energy firms to enhance their understanding of stock market and its ability to generate more cash to finance their projects.

Capacity building

“We are inspiring energy firms to take advantage of the vast opportunities at the stock market so that they can be able to fund their designed projects,” Odundo added. For companies to take advantage of stock market instruments, there is need to establish capacity building and useful partnerships between development finance experts and clean energy experts both at county and central government levels. Secondly improving the availability of data and development of standardised documents so that t h e

FINANCING

risks and rewards of clean energy can be better off understood. The government must also provide the necessary environment for achievement of long term clean energy projects this includes stable policies that are predictable, tax incentives, mitigating the risks especially the political risk. The nature of energy projects are long term in nature and the only stable place is at the stock exchange market where deals can be made, bought off in transparent manner and improves the company profile. Kenya aims to increase generation capacity by 23,000 megawatts by 2030 from the current level of less than 5000Mw. And in order to fulfill this, the government is focused on sustaining a stable investment climate for private-sector partic-

ipation in energy, developing expanded transmission and distribution networks to deliver power to customers.

Credit Worthy Off-taker

This however can only be achieved through maintaining a creditworthy off-taker, maintaining cost-reflective tariffs, and reducing inefficiency in the sector to support more affordable end-user tariffs. “A company can attract a better workforce from its raised public profile, and use its listed shares as part of an employee incentive programme since public companies reach a worldwide audience through our platform”, the CEO said.

London Stock Exchange

The role of stock exchange in raising capital for energy projects was amplified by the signing of memorandum of understanding between the Kenya government and the London Stock Exchange . The Cabinet Minister observed that the partnership is driv-

en by the realization that energy infrastructure projects are very capital intensive and mobilization of capital is critical to providing clean, sustainable, affordable, competitive and secure energy required for Kenya to improve its industrial performance.

“A company can attract a better workforce from its raised public profile, and use its listed shares as part of an employee incentive programme since public companies reach a worldwide audience through our platform”, Geoffrey Odundo, NSE Chief Executive Officer. He reckoned that the partnership will enable mobilize the capital required to accelerate the pace of energy infrastructure development in Kenya. This will in turn drive our country to achieve its full industrial potential

WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

COVER STORY

“To us, the revenue sharing agreements need to be well and amicably resolved by stakeholders,” Martin Mbogo Tullow Oil Country Manager 22 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

COVER STORY

Tullow

Keeping the oil export dream alive

Aerial view of Etuko 1

t’s now official. Kenya will build its own crude oil pipeline from Lokichar to Lamu after the government cleared Total to buy shares in Maersk Oil blocks in Kenya. The Pipeline is meant to link the oilfields to international markets. Back home, the unresolved issues of revenue sharing, storage as well as transportation stick out like a sore thumb. But for executives of Tullow, the British firm which discovered Kenya’s oil nearly six years ago, life is about setting high standards and beating the odds all the way.

Martin Mbogo, Country Manager Tullow Oil spoke to Watts-Up’s Marion Wagaki about everything oil, from the firm’s interaction with community to the low crude prices and the economic viability of the oil find.

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COVER STORY

Q. Give us an overview of the ongoing works of Tullow in the region? A. We are present in 15 countries in Africa continent and controlling 60 percent operations in terms of licenses in the same continent market segments. We had our first operation in Senegal but have later expanded to Uganda, Ghana, Mauritania, Gabon and Kenya among others. Currently we are exploring oil in coast of Tanzania in partnership with Total Oil Company. I have been in the African market for the last 30 years and thus understand Africa relative to other oil and gas companies. Q. How easy or difficult has it been to drill oil from the Turkana area? A. To me drilling oil has been exciting as one is exposed to different realities and made to learn cultures of other world communities. Further one is happy when the resource you are mining comes out. However, the exercise always has its own share of problems. Due to some reasons we withdrew from the area in 2013 but after agreeing with the community we resolved the matter and managed to open office. At the moment we are able to put in place a dispute resolve mechanism. At least we were able to include local agenda in all our operations. There are a number of challenges we have faced since we started the operations of exploring and mining oil. Further, fulfilling the local communities’ demands in terms of employment and providing crucial amenities such as water, establishing health centres and fixing roads among other needs. It is equally challenging to ensure the environmental standards are achieved. But over and above the challenges we have made

Give us an overview of the ongoing works of Tullow in the region? We are present in 15 countries in Africa and are controlling 60 percent of operations in terms of licenses in the continent’s market segments. We had our first operation in Senegal and later expanded to Uganda, Ghana, Mauritania, Gabon and Kenya among others. Currently we are exploring oil in Tanzania’s coast in partnership with Total Oil Company. I have been in the African market for the last 30 years and thus understand Africa pretty well.

progress. In five years we have enabled 40 locals to access financing and provided light vehicles such as pickups needed for administrative operations. We have guaranteed three to four years of work with the big achievement being from the side of service provider. High safety standards are expected of oil and gas mining. In the first phase of 2010-2018 we have been able to invest Kshs. 150Billion in drilling the over 40 wells done so far.

Your presence in the country How easy or difficult has it been has triggered a lot of investment to drill oil in the Turkana area? around the exploration sites. To me drilling oil has been exciting How are you encouraging potenas one is exposed to different real- tial partners and business people ities and made to learn cultures of to come on board? other world communities. Further, Local companies extending their one is happy when the resource investment around the operating you are mining comes out. How- area are thriving owing to skills ever, the exercise is not without its transfer from the professionals own share of problems. in the company. To ensure all the chores are undertaken we hire loDue to some reasons we withdrew cal companies, for example, oil from the area in 2013 but after field movers while multiple carriagreeing with the community we ers tender to transport oil. Local resolved the matter and managed airlines fly around 80 people each to open office. At the moment we week, to and from Nairobi while have been able to put in place a investors have heavily invested in dispute resolution mechanism. At the hotel industry. Car hire and least we were able to include a local tourism business is also booming. agenda in all our operations. With all the risks associated with There are a number of challenges drilling oil, for example, environwe have faced since we started the mental, landslides, how do you operations of exploring and min- mitigate against such dangers? ing oil. One of them is fulfilling To ensure environmental protecthe local communities’ demands in tion we apply high standards both terms of employment and provid- at local and international levels. ing crucial amenities such as wa- For example, we have a manageter, establishing health centers and ment guide working on site and fixing roads among other needs. have linked up the international It is equally challenging to ensure environmentalists with local conthe environmental standards are sultants. achieved. But over and above the challenges we have made good The Energy and Petroleum Bill

24 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

COVER STORY

2017 was not passed by the last parliament? Has the delay had any impact on your operations? We participated in drafting of the Petroleum Bill 2017. The life of the Bill lapsed at the end of the 11th Parliament’s term and thus has to be reintroduced. The delay to enact the Bill into Law has not interrupted our operations. But at the moment the question of revenue sharing is always being raised by the local leaders. What is the most important aspects of that bill that you would like to see implemented? For us the revenue sharing agreements need to be well and amicably resolved by the two levels of government and other stakeholders. Joint exploration and investments. What’s your take on the regional countries pooling together resources for exploration, marketing and selling? An example being the East Africa power pool where electricity infrastructure is being shared accordingly? In April 2016 we started discussions with Uganda to have a joint pipeline between Uganda and Kenya. Since then different decisions have been agreed as stipulated in our well-developed programme. Petroleum engineers and graduate trainee have contributed to improvement of labour market opportunities, free movement of people across East Africa, where we have logistical capabilities. East Africa is a good investment destination and has high caliber human resources thus making exploration a much easier task. Can you comment on the rising oil prices currently at US$60

a barrel? What does it portend for an exploration company like yours? Equally, is it good for the Market? We are more interested in oil movement upstream at the moment. In January the average price of a barrel price stood at $68. As Tullow Oil Company we operate on long term economics basis and not pegged at 50- 60 dollars price basis. Our projections are up to 2040 as stipulated in our operating license. If oil prices are low, there is less work to be done and this prompts exodus by investors to other sectors of the economy which leads to a slump. For Kenya it is painful since we are net importers of petroleum products. So for the upstream, an optimal point which is higher than 50 dollars a barrel is good. What are the opportunities now that the prices are going up? Clearly $60 to $70 dollars per barrel is a good price to encourage more activities in Kenya. Consumers of oil are however highly-disadvantaged when they find a KSh 2 increase in pump prices. What is the impact of financing model when the prices are low or high? If you look at buildup of this chain, fiscal element is pretty high, and has a big bearing based on the last

count we did. Close to 40 to 50 percent of cost at the pump is attributable to tax while a large part of the rest is due to inefficiencies in the system. This is part of the reasons that led to decommissioning of Kenya oil refineries, though it’s more of a policy issue than efficiency. The oil industry has survived past crisis, they have operated with high and low prices but has made oil available for over 100years. Do you think the oil sector will generate employment for the Kenya job market? Yes; Jobs will be created, I expect not less than 20,000 direct and indirect jobs by 2020. In a nutshell we need support by the national and county government to be able move oil to from Turkana to Mombasa. To unlock the untapped potential we need an economic and political solution. We appeal to the ministries of petroleum and energy and the political leaders in Turkana County to join hands in sorting out the current contentious issues to facilitate job creation and rebounding of the country’s economy

Engineers at Etiir Rig Site WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

WOMEN IN ENERGY AWARDS

Nora Magero

Philanthropy Award

Winner

26 26 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

WOMEN IN ENERGY AWARDS

Guiding girls down the clean energy path Norah Magero founded the “Cool Green Campaign” which uses energy savings to sponsor girls and create jobs for the Starehe By Marion Wagaki and Nicholas Waitathu Community.

t takes courage to leave a formal employment in the energy sector at your prime age. But when the alternative is to become an ambassador of renewable energy and a mentor to young people with interest in learning more about sustainability in Kenya, that’s more fulfilling, says Norah Magero.

It was in 2016, when together with her friend, Wilkista Akinyi, they became ambassadors of renewable energy and mentors of young people.

“We scouted for an institution that would benefit from mentorship, energy management and renewable energy projects, landing at the doors of Starehe Girls School,” she Ms Magero, an Energy Engineer recalls. with a focus on Renewable and Sustainable Energy in Kenya quit “We partnered with the school and employment to scout for institu- submitted a proposal to Zayed Futions for mentorship. ture Energy Prize for funding with a goal to install a solar system at She won the Philanthropy Ser- the school, solar street lights and vice Award in the just concluded solar water heating”. Women in energy conference for selflessly committing her time and This is what led to the birth of The even resources to develop energy ‘Cool Green Campaign’, an solutions that have an impact on initiative to mentor society. more Kenyan high school students “I am a Certified Energy Manager on sustainable by the Association of Energy En- and green engineers and an Energy Auditor in ergy, educate training and currently the project them on manager and co-mentor for the SDG7 with now dubbed, Starehe Energy Proj- the aim of ect,” She tells Watts Up. alleviating the impact

of global warming, from a grass root level. The campaign emerged the best in Africa and won a grant of $100,000 for the Starehe Energy Project 2017. They have erected an embedded 25kW solar carport PV system, 10 solar street lights and is currently installing a customised Solar Water Heating system for the school’s kitchen and dining hall. The Starehe Energy Project not only relies on savings on electricity bills to sponsor more girls but has also create jobs and added value to the Starehe community by engaging local contractors and workers

WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

EAST AFRICA

Museveni bets on nuclear energy

“

Skyline of Kampala City 28 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

All rivers in Africa have a potential of about 350,000MW of electricity and yet the population will grow to about 1.2billion in the next 25 years,” – President Museveni.

EAST AFRICA

resident Yoweri Museveni has said that unless solar becomes a cheaper alternative source of clean energy, Africa and Uganda in particular will have to use nuclear energy to improve the wellbeing of its people. “All rivers in Africa have a potential of about 350,000MW of electricity and yet the population will grow to about 1.2billion in the next 25 years. The USA uses 1.5 million megawatts equivalent to almost five times of all the rivers in Africa. Unless solar is a cheaper alternative, we shall have to use nuclear. “What is important is to master nuclear technology. Already we are training our people in this field,” he said. Uganda has already trained 15 nuclear experts headed by Sarah Nafuna in the Ministry of Energy and

Mineral Development. President Museveni made the remarks in February during a meeting with the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano at State House Entebbe. The two leaders held high level consultations on activities related to IAEA technical cooperation programme in Uganda ahead of the official commissioning of the cobalt 60 cancer machine at the cancer Institute in Mulago. The meeting was also attended by Shaukat Abdulrazak the director TCAF, division for Africa in the department of Technical Cooperation, Uganda’s Energy state minister Eng. D’Ujanga Simon and the Health minister Dr. Ruth Aceng among others.

Museveni said even if the cost of solar energy goes down to under four cents, in some parts of Africa because of the cloud cover, they may not be able to use solar unless the batteries improve for storage. “Let’s be open-minded on this. What we want is electricity for our people’s welfare,” he said. Amano said the IAEA was doing a lot in making nuclear energy for peaceful use and is already supporting Uganda in implementing projects that use nuclear for peaceful purposes for the wellbeing of the people. “People are not aware that you can use nuclear energy very peacefully for the wellbeing of humanity. We use nuclear to treat cancer. In Uganda, our people came to improve and get involved with technical support in installing the new cobalt cancer machine”

President Yoweri Museveni WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

FINANCING

Lighting up remote villages

30 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

FINANCING

The Sh15 billion ($1.5 million) loan from the World Bank Group will finance off-grid power projects, enabling small businesses to sprout in the villages By MARION WAGAKI

ore cottage industries and new businesses are likely to be initiated in the rural areas as government and development partners seek to enhance access of modern energy services through off-grid solar in the rural areas. The emergence of the small industries is expected to provide jobs to young people. The World Bank is extending a Ksh15 billion (US$1.5 million) loan to Kenya government to finance Kenya Offgrid Solar Access Project (K-OSAP) to accelerate and light up dark rural areas and electrification of more public facilities this year. The project is being undertaken by the World Bank and Rural Electrification Authority (REA). “The aim of the project is to enhance electricity access and connectivity in areas with large populations that had not been previously reached due to the 600 meters radius transformer limitation”, said REA chairman Dr Simon Gicharu.

These are counties located in the North and North-Eastern parts of Kenya as part of the North Eastern Development Initiative (NEDI). They include Garissa, Lamu, Mandera, Marsabit, Narok, Samburu, Tana River, Turkana, Wajir and West Pokot. The other four that are not part of NEDI are Kwale, Kilifi, Narok and Taita Taveta.

Transformer maximization

Targeted public utilities include homes, schools, health centers, with maximum private sector involvement and investment to ensure sustainability. Gicharu explained that in REA’s 20172022 strategic plan, more public utilities are focused to enhance rural electrification over and above connecting public primary schools.

The REA board of directors and the World Bank, Dr Gicharu revealed, are currently discussing the project final details. “The discussions which are at an advanced stage between the Dr Gicharu stated that the project will implementing agencies all for the help in taming rural-urban migration purposes of establishment of additional and as well as increasing investments. solar mini grids. REA has allocated K-OSAP designed to be implemented Ksh3 billion to undertake transformer in underserved counties will serve an maximisation in all parts of the estimated 1.3 million people in 277,000 country,” he added. households across 14 counties. WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

FINANCING Under the transformer maximization project, the authority intends to install a total of 1,000 transformers across the country by the end of the 2017/18 financial year.

Mini grids

The implementation will involve the installation of at least five extension transformers per constituency in areas with existing high transmission lines as part of achieving state target of universal access by the year 2020. Mini grids he added will facilitate further electricity generation, solar homes systems for public facilities and households, 380 solar pumping systems to provide water for drinking and irrigation in 14 under served counties in Northern and North Eastern Kenya.” Collaboration with county government in ‘devolving’ electricity, says Dr. Gicharu remains critical. “We have entered into partnerships with various counties where we implement select county rural electrification projects on their behalf through the matching funds facility.

Public facilities

“Our focus now is on completion of the electrification of the remaining public facilities with the main ones being secondary schools, trading centres and health facilities. Electricity will be installed in 200 public facilities by June 2018,” said Dr. Gicharu, also chairman of the board of trustees and founder of Mt Kenya University.

from REA indicate at least 60,247 public facilities out of the existing 88,570 across the country have been electrified, among them education institutions - primary & secondary schools and polytechnics), health centres, market centres, community water points, tea and coffee buying centres and government facilities. Peter Mbugua the new REA CEO, says promotion of renewable energy remains key in the race to light up rural areas and those abandoned since independence. For example, a renewable energy project Mbugua said is the ongoing construction of a Ksh13.5 billion 50MW solar plant in Garissa County in the current fiscal year.

Livestock sector

“This will be the largest solar project to be constructed in East and Central Africa and it will provide jobs and improve lives of the communities in Garissa County,” says Mbugua. The power from the solar plant, he says will provide clean and affordable energy to be fed to the national grid for purposes of serving other parts of the country. We expect the irrigation system to be set up on about 10,000 acres of land. The livestock sector will be see more exports that are value added in nature due to the increased access to electricity for processing. More energy mini grids are being established, with the Biyamadhow Project in Wajir town now operational at a cost of Ksh55 million to serve about 200 homes in the town. While the Turkwel – Lokichar 66Kv line that was commissioned by President Uhuru Kenyatta in July, 2017 is still on course. On the electrifica-

D a t a available

32 32 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

People using solar pump

FINANCING

Also implemented is tion of areas far from the national grid commonly known as off grid, REA has within the last eight years established 19 isolated diesel generators in the offgrid counties of Turkana, Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, Garissa and Lamu.

“This will be the largest solar project to be constructed in East and Central Africa and will provide jobs and improve lives of the communities in Garissa County,”Peter Mbugua, REA Chief Executive Officer.

a 120 KM line from Turkwel Gorge to Lokichar to serve the area where oil has been discovered in Turkana County at a cost of Ksh1.69 billion.

Underserved areas

The Government has been accelerating efforts to raise the connectivity rate through the extension of low voltage network to households. The connectivity project was expected to reach about 500,000 households with an estimated 2.5 million people by the end of 2017. Last year during the launch of the world bank project Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum Charles Keter said,” The Ministry appreciates this project which will go a long way in contributing to the achievement of one of the Government’s objective of attaining universal access to electrification by 2020.” He added, “The uniqueness of this project, which entails collaboration of public and private sector, embedded operation and maintenance, as well as the innovative financing of the solar home system component, will be the hall mark of success in accelerating off-grid electrification, which has been hard to achieve. We appreciate the partnership and support of the World Bank in conceptualization and implementation of this project.” “The World Bank is committed to supporting the growth of Kenya’s underserved areas through linking homes, communities and the businesses that serve them to clean and renewable energy sources,” said Diarietou Gaye, World Bank Country Director for Kenya during the launch. “By connecting 1.3 million people to off-grid solar energy, these counties can begin harnessing the fruits of devolution by opening avenues for creation of more businesses and job opportunities,” she added WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

33 33

INNOVATION

Innovation

Boni Chileshe CEO E.A AECOM 34 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

INNOVATION

Is nanotechnology a new front in clean energy search? Dreamliner designer Boni Chileshe

wants energy sector scholars to try nanotechnology in exploring new ideas that can sell in the market By VICTOR OBURE

he term nanotechnology may not ring a bell in the minds of most Kenyans but sooner than later it will be a common phrase in our living rooms going by the recent trends in inventions and innovations. Top Researchers and scholars are optimistic that more room for innovation and discoveries lies ahead in nanotechnology which refers to the science of manipulating materials on an atomic or molecular scale especially to build microscopic devices.

Managing Director of AECOM Boni Chileshe who pioneered the invention and the development of the famous Dream liner airline says there is more to be explored in nanotechnology.

Cut a niche

He challenged scholars in the energy sector to stop their fascination with what was already in the market and go out of their way to explore new ideas.

Mr Chileshe who is renowned innovator and inspirational speaker Although some nanotechnology world over told a conference on products are already in use in auto- women in energy that local remobile tires, land-mine detectors, searchers must up their game by and computer disk drives, the best exploring possibilities in the nanof the innovation is yet to come. otechnology to cut a niche in the world of science.

He challenged local scholars to pursue possibilities of developing a wireless power circulation network using Nanotechnology saying the Bluetooth and Wifi came about as a result of such initiatives. Chileshe whose board of directors at the AECOM comprise of 36 per cent women is on record as having supported disadvantaged groups to pursue careers in advancement of technology and encouraged women to give innovation a try.

Tiny robots

He said two of the chief engineers in the development of the Dreamliner commercial airbus were women whose resolve to make a mark in the industry paid off

WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

WOMEN IN ENERGY AWARDS

A safe pair of eyes for rural areas

Jemeli Toroitich

Community Award Winner 36 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

WOMEN IN ENERGY AWARDS

Having grown up in the village, Jemeli Toroitich has earned a medal of honour by helping rid kitchen off smoke through clean energy By Wamaitha Omondi

or the last eight years, Jemeli Toroitich has been been constructed, more than 20,000 clean cook stoves promoting biogas, clean cook stoves, clean fuels and more than 150,000 solar units have been sold for and solar for lighting in the rural sector. use by households.

It is thanks to her role in supporting rural women in accessing clean energy that she won an award in Community Leadership during an energy conference on women in Nairobi last year.

As an Energy Sector Leader at SNV and current Programme Manager in an energy Project at Rainforest Alliance, her work entails discussing community needs, devising strategies to overcome the barriers and mobilising resources to change status of The Women in Energy Awards 2017 Community households and institutions. Award winner says she was elated and owes the recognition to the Kenyan households who believed She is also a member of the Executive Committee of and adopted the energy technologies changing the the Clean Cooking Association of Kenya, Ministry of experiences of their families. Energy and Petroleum Technical Team on the SE4All, and has actively been contributing to the development The award sought to recognise women who have of Kenya's Energy Vision impacted their community in one way or another through mobilisation towards innovative energy solutions. Through her SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, Toroitich has for the last eight years been involved in mobilising efforts from different stakeholders to raise awareness and demand from households for clean energy technologies. The stakeholders include women groups, SACCOs, Farmer Cooperatives, financial institutions, entrepreneurs among others. Born and bred in the rural area, firewood, smoke and use of kerosene lamps was the norm, Toroitich made a choice to undertake a study in the university that will enable her contribute to community development. “I understand the pains and drudgery that households have to go through, and I believed and wanted to contribute to changes in people’s daily experiences in such mundane tasks such as cooking in kitchens full of smoke to a smokeless kitchen,” she says. Through these efforts, more than 18000 digesters have

“

I understand the pains and drudgery that households have to go through in performing mundame tasks such as cooking in kitchens full of smoke

WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

FINANCING

Greening the county street lights

Pension fund tapped to finance the Replacement of Energy Supply Strength with Renewable Solar Systems in Counties BY NICHOLAS WAITATHU

rbanisation in Kenya is set to increase rapidly as county governments embark on funding more energy projects. The county government pension fund (LAPTRUST) has stepped in to help in lighting up towns across the counties Currently, 26.5 percent of total population resides in urban centres with the annual urbanization rate growing at 4.15 percent compared to 53.2 percent of total population and 0.94 percent rate of urbanization in Kazakhstan.

thus curtailing investment inflows. In doing so, the county governments are trying to move away from traditional energy sources, and are exploring the feasibility of green technology, both in terms of environmental sustainability, reliability of supply, and long-term cost efficiency.

The counties, through their umbrella organisation, identified the Local Authority Pension Trust as their partner for this venture. World Bank in past report noted that Kenya was rapidly urbanising, a growth Local Authority Pension Trust which is controlling trend that needs to be well monitored to prevent assets to the tune of Ksh28 billion is funding urban sprawl. development of green street lighting across 19 counties in the county with a technical support from the GIZ. Income The LAPTRUST - the second largest pension fund Street lighting has helped to reduce crime by over 70 in Kenya - together with county governments are per cent and improve incomes by more 50 per cent fast tracking a joint financing model to scale up this with business people transacting for at least four investment. extra hours from 6pm to 10pm. Replacing the energy Following transfer of administrative power from the sapping streetlights with solar lighting one is also a national to local governments, the latter are seeking huge saving for the counties. investment from various sources to improve local infrastructure, schools, hospitals, and other amenities. Kenya Institute of Planners says that lack of sound planning in the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s development pattern will lead to quick urban spread which if not well managed Technology will contribute to low intensity land use, where the Among other things, the counties are working to amount of land consumed per capita is higher than in improve local security and accessibility by improving more densely populated city areas. street lighting in cities. Urban centres hosting county According to the 2009 Population and Housing headquarters are grappling with lack of street lighting 38 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

FINANCING

Census, 21 urban centres in Kenya had a population of 11.5 million people with Nairobi leading at 3.13 million, Mombasa 938,000, Kisumu 388,000 and Nakuru 308,000 people.

“Streetlighting has helped reduce crime by over 70% and improve income by more 50%”

slum upgrading programme thus able to manage the informal settlement challenge. “In Tunis the capital city of Tunisia which has a population of 4 million, the slum problem has been fixed as all stakeholders have been fully involved, said Mr. Turki.

Advertising

Kenya government is also undertaking slum upgrading programmes aimed at improving the lives of the residents residing in slums. World Bank is currently financing the Kenya Informal Slums Settlements Improvement Project (KISIP) to the Government says that by 2020, 40 per cent of Kenyans tune of Ksh 15 billion to provide crucial amenities will live in cities and in 2033 Kenya will reach a tipping in 15 municipalities. The national Government is point because half of its population will then be living undertaking a nationwide programme dubbed Kenya in urban areas. Kenya will have 37 cities of more than Slum Upgrading Project (KENSUP). 100,000 residents up from 21 urban centres currently. To date, one county, Narok, has installed street lighting The Secretary General of African Union of Architects as a test case, with the LAPT financing the upfront (AUA) Amine Turki sometimes last year observed that costs using its corporate social responsibility budget only a few countries in Africa are undertaking efforts of Ksh250, 000 per pole. The revenue model is based to manage slum growth. He singled out Tunisia which on selling commercial advertising space on the lamp he said is excelling in planning due to her consistent poles and the return on investment has been above market rate WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Africa is lit I am Deepicted, a Lightchaser on a journey to master the techniques of producing spectacular photographs through light manipulation. “And like a Jedi with her saber, my camera is my weapon and light the force. My assignment; to ‘deepict’ the progressive wonder of light in our beautiful continent.”

Diana Njeru Light-chaser

Check out my website at www.deepicted. com or my Instagram page @deepicted. 40 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

Watamu Sunset

ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Lightpainting 1

Lightpainting 2

Nairobi City by night WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

SOVIET VS WEST

The Kremlin

Echoes of ancient rivalry as Putin builds gas pipeline to Asia 42 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

SOVIET VS WEST

Talk of Great Game in the air as Russia plans to sell its Iran-based oil to India ….but the road must run through the key areas of Central Asia By R.Sasankan

ladimir Putin, the strongman of Russia, has started to put in place his pieces on a chequer board that brings back memories of The Great Game that was played out in Central Asia with the objective of wresting control of that jewel in the Crown: India.

The Great Game encapsulated the intense rivalry between the British and Czarist Russian Empires over parts of Central Asia, starting from the early 19th century and stretching all the way up to the early years of the 20th century.

along the front lines between the two dominant empires that ran through Afghanistan and Persia.

Britain is now a shadow of the powerful regime it once was. But Russia – weakened as a super power after the collapse of the Soviet The clash of the empires solidified Union in the early nineties – has WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

SOVIET VS WEST

Left: Prime Minister of India Narendra Moudi shaking hands with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin started to re-establish its role in the Union was a communist country region. but it fell out with communist China over the issue of who should be The new Great Game is being the leader of the communist world played out in the new sphere of after Joseph Stalin. That honour geopolitics: gas pipelines. should legitimately have gone to Mao but Nikita Krushchev was Oil and gas are Russia’s lifeline that not willing to concede. This is a the west has been trying to choke. detail in history that the present But Russian President Putin has leaders of Russia and China are now started to put in place some not interested in. China is in a clever business deals that will even- hurry to reach the top and Russia tually turn it into a big and strong is obsessed with battling the west, player in one of the world’s most which has been trying to isolate it lucrative energy consuming mar- through sanctions. kets: India. India is the market that holds the Putin first reached out to Chi- greatest mystique for all oil and na and signed up a huge gas deal. gas producers: its allure magnified He then persuaded his country’s by its ever-burgeoning need for Rosneft to acquire Essar Oil’s 20 fuel to power what could become million tonne refinery in India. the fastest-growing economies in Now, Russia is financing the con- the world, matching the economic struction of a pipeline to supply dynamism of China. But the road gas to Pakistan which has not been to India must pass through key arknown to be friendly to Russia. eas of Central Asia – reviving talk about a new chapter in the Great Greatest mystique Game. Putin’s Russia has no political ideology as such. The erstwhile Soviet 44 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

Pakistan route After the acquisition of Essar Oil, Putin did not immediately crank up plans to sell gas to India. Instead, he opted to open up a route via Pakistan which is considered extremely hostile to India. Pakistan is not a big gas market nor can it be expected to pay for the gas. But that pipeline could be the way to reach India’s vast market — and that is part of Putin’s deliberate strategy. (Putin is believed to have directly intervened when Saudi Aramco tried to scuttle Rosneft’s initial deal for Essar Oil’s refinery) How can India buy gas from a pipeline which comes through Pakistan? India practically abandoned the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline citing security reasons. But the very same India became a party to the proposed Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline. What explains this apparent double standard? The reason is simple: The US did not want India to be a partner in the IPI pipeline project and this

SOVIET VS WEST

is understood to have been one of the informal conditions which helped India to obtain US approval for its nuclear status during George Bushâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s presidency. From Iran What Putin is trying to sell to India is not gas from Russia but Russian-owned gas from Iran. How does Russia own gas in Iran? A few months ago, this column broke the

again the real marketing man is suppliers. Almost simultaneously, Putin. Russia will also back an offshore pipeline project to India to transHe knows that India shied away port gas from Iran. from IPI pipeline under pressure from the US. It will be eminent- Frosty relations ly attractive for India to buy gas Nothing can be ruled out in interwhich reaches the border with Pa- national relation. Iran-India relakistan. There is certainly a securi- tions, which have become slightty angle which can be easily taken ly frosty these days following the care of. clash over the contract to develop the Farzad B field which Indian

Qatari rates There are no powerful domestic gas producers to lobby against the Russian-supplied gas. In the Russian scheme of things, the first priority is to complete the pipeline to Pakistan from Iran. But the ultimate target is the Indian market. Once the Russian-owned Iran gas reaches India, the same pipeline can be expanded later to supply gas that Iran wants to market. If India plays its card well without falling Similarly, Iran entrusted develop- under the spell of the different gas ment of some of the gas fields to lobbies that have become over acRussia. The identity of these fields tive these days, the country can get is not known. Here again, Russia gas at the most competitive rates. is not paid in dollars but granted a But the reality is that India is a fershare in the total gas reserves de- tile place for lobbies. Qatar, which veloped. Russian companies have meets Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s LNG requirement at been wrestling with the problem present, may come under pressure of trying to market this gas. Here to lower its rates. And so will other news that representatives of Russian companies were trying to get refineries to process Iranian crude. During the period of US-led sanctions, Iran depended on Russia for many things for which the dollar-starved Iran paid in oil. Russian companies were trying to get this crude refined in Asia or Europe and sell the products instead of crude so that they could maximise profits.

PSUs discovered, may take a turn for the better. Industry circles see the possibility of Russian companies involved in developing gas fields in Iran roping in Indian PSUs into their work. This is in the common interest of Russia and Iran both of which need to grab a slice of the Indian market. India consumes a lot of oil but not so much gas. That situation could change if Russia and Iran persuade India to buy the gas they are marketing. India benefits from such an arrangement as it will find a way to use cheap fuel to pump prime its economy. After all, the price of fuel is important for a market like India

WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

WOMEN IN ENERGY AWARDS

Offering sustainable energy solutions to transform vulnerable communities By Cynthia Wanjiru

“The systems we build provide access to clean water, improved health and sanitation, better education facilities and night reading for the children” – Mary Njue, Chief Executive Officer, Epicenter Africa Ltd 46 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

Mary Njue

Entreprenuership Award Winner

WOMEN IN ENERGY AWARDS

ary Njue, a small and micro enterprise in the energy sector was recently awarded the 2017 Entrepreneurship Award during the Women in Energy conference in Nairobi. Njue the owner and CEO of Epicenter Africa Ltd, an Engineering firm dealing in design and construction of Solar Power and Water Systems was recognized for role in transforming communities in the region.

The Award

The award was established to recognize small and micro enterprises in the energy sector that have thrived and have brought in meaningful change in the society in businesses that must be run by women entrepreneurs. The Epicenter Africa, Njue explained, was established in 2009 with a purpose to provide sustainable power and water solutions for communities across Africa. “With the increasing inadequate

supply of power and scarcity of water, we are dedicated to provide reliable solutions in the most professional approach to uplift our communities”, she says.

ergy Sector was to help achieve affordable power by confronting challenges of inadequate power and water scarcity especially in the arid and semi-arid areas in Africa.

Transforming Communities

“I am honored to have been nominated for this Award, and won the Award. I consider this as an opportunity to create more impact in the society and as a call to do more in finding and offering sustainable energy solutions to our communities.

Over the years, Njue explains to “WattsUp” that they have transformed communities in many parts of the country as well as in South Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda and Tanzania through Solar Energy and Water Projects with a focus on off-grid regions. Her company has spearheaded solar water pumping in Kenya and installation of cutting edge technology in solar water pumping. Owing to her innovation Njue can easily be regarded as the front runner in this industry within the region. “The systems we build provide access to clean water, improved health and sanitation, better education facilities and night reading for the children”, she says. She added, ‘the introduction of the new technology has also greatly impacted security, generated livelihoods through solar irrigation and generally improved the living standards of people. We find pride in this hence our slogan; Transforming Communities. Changing Lives”, she adds. Njue remarked that her inspiration to join the En-

Lucrative

It is important for you to know that the industry is quite lucrative and has many opportunities for women especially because energy is a basic need in households and in almost every area of people’s lives”, she says Njue won after having fulfilled the requirements of the awards that demonstrated profitability trend in her business in the last three years as owner and manager. And she demonstrated women empowerment and providing leadership. Epicenter Company has about 15 permanent employees and several service providers as well as contractual employees and has contributed to the livelihood of numerous families directly. The company’s water pumping solution has helped irrigate land for crop and animal production, creating jobs indirectly. To the women who want a career in energy, Njue advises them to to go for it and reminds them that they too are just like men can make a significant impact in the industry.

WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

WOMEN IN ENERGY CONFERENCE

Women at the centre of clean energy

H.E NAZI KIVUTHA; Chair of the First County Ladies Association speaking during the Women in Energy Conference 2017 48 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

WOMEN IN ENERGY CONFERENCE

Traditionally relegated to the backroom as consumers of energy, women are increasingly finding themselves at key decision making positions of corporate and political worlds. By P. Obure

s the government navigates towards the realization of Vision 2030 dream, green sustainable energy is at the apex of the envisaged industrial revolution in the country.

women are more vulnerable to infections since they are more exposed to smoke pollutants owing to the nature of their roles in the society. She told a recent woman in Energy Conference at Strathmore University that preliminary Attention shifts to the role that findings of a research conducted in women can play in the search for major informal settlements in the clean energy after the government country had revealed that at least signed a memorandum of 1,000 lives are lost every month understanding with the Norwegian due to smoke-related infections. Government in June 2012 to reduce greenhouse gas emission.

Pollution

According to the founder of Women in Energy and Environmental Technology, Dr. Mbaari Kinya,

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The research found that an estimated 60% of the 4 million people in Nairobi City dwell in the informal settlements and were

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

We want to

encourage use of cleaner energy like LPG and Ethanol and discourage unhealthy sources.

WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

WOMEN IN ENERGY CONFERENCE

using energy sources that were harmful to their health” , Dr. Kinya said. She expressed fears that African women bear the brunt of pollution since majority of them use energy from wood fuel which were not environmentally friendly to the ecosystem and the general health of the users.

ciation chair Mrs. Nazi Kivutha pointed out the tremendous growth electricity generation and connectivity has seen throughout the country. “With Kenya only generating 20, 000 jobs annually, there is a huge chance that the energy sector should be able to provide the necessary business opportunities and employment,”

He quoted a research indicating that a 30 percent participation of women in an organization may represent up to 15 percent profitability for the said organization. “This alone should push men to step down from statistics and make challenging cultural and corporate barriers facing women a

Fred Gituku, Vivo Energy HR Speaking during the Women in Energy Confernce 2017 “We want to encourage use of cleaner energy like LPG and Ethanol and discourage use of those improved but unhealthy source of energy being marketed from the developed world where they are no longer in use”, she insisted. Dr. Kinya proposed an all-inclusive approach to tame the trend and minimise pollution levels through capacity building of the targeted groups in villages and create awareness on the need to discouraging the use of wood fuel.

Tremendous Growth

Speaking at the same conference, The County First Ladies Asso-

added Mrs. Kivutha. She called for more women inclusion in decision making processes involved in finding solutions to their energy problems. “Women representation in these initiatives is still at a low level yet women need to be involved in designing and policy implementation on projects that meet their energy needs,” remarked Mrs. Kivutha.

Recruitment

Vivo Energy Human Resource Manager Fred Gituku said women’s role in the society could no longer be taken for granted as many of them had excelled in male-dominated corporate and political leadership positions.

50 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

personal goal,” he said Mr. Gituku encouraged men to move away from winning gender arguments citing the immense benefits collaboration of both genders would achieve because of their diversity and approach to issues. He also added that women representation in organizations should extend to the management and board members where major decisions are made. He urged the human resource practitioners in the energy sector to be considerate of the female gender during recruitment of new staff to bridge the gender proportions

LAPSSET PROJECT

LAPSSET

Giving shape to Kenyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s natural gateway to the Indian and Atlantic oceans Originally designed with the twin aims of cutting over-dependence on Mombasa port and opening up northern Kenya, the corridor looks set to stimulate international trade, By VICTOR OBURE

Mr. Kasuku CEO LAPSSET speaking during the Women in Energy Conference WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

LAPSSET PROJECT

he completion of the Lamu Port-South SudanE t h i o p i a - Tr a n s p o r t (LAPSSET) Corridor Project is expected to unlock numerous investment opportunities and spurring economic growth in the region. The project which was initially conceived in 1975 is set to strengthen the country’s position as a gateway and a transport hub to the East African sub-region and the Great Lakes region. LAPSSET Chief Executive Sylvester Kasuku says the project was designed to create natural trade route linking the Indian and the Atlantic Ocean

at Douala port through Yaounde in of a second transport corridor to Cameroon. the key towns of Lamu and Isiolo in Kenya, Juba in South Sudan and The LAPSSET Corridor Project Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. is the first single integrative LAPSSET Corridor Development infrastructure project the Authority was also commissioned Government has initiated under to oversee the implementation of Vision 2030 Strategy Framework the mega project estimated to cost without external assistance to more than Sh2.5 trillion. facilitate trade, promote regional economic integration and Boost tourism interconnectivity between African The government will be spending countries. about six per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) The aim of the project was to cut or 16 percent of its annual over-dependence on Kenya’s main budget on the project during the port of Mombasa as well as opening implementation phase. up Kenya’s largely under-developed The project is expected to northern frontier, through creation

Lamu port taking shape

52 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

LAPSSET PROJECT

contribute an additional three per cent to Kenyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s GDP annually from 2020 after completion.

The proposed plan includes the construction of resort cities and airports along the route at Lamu, Isiolo and Lokichogio and is It is meant to run in tandem with the expected to boost tourism sector road network and pipeline systems in the country. that will open up the markets to landlocked neighbouring countries Business destination within the corridor and have direct LAPSSET Authority has revealed impact on the lives of at least 166 plans to build a Sh350 million million people. desalination plant in Lamu by 2019 in a bid to alleviate poor water The project is designed to connect supply in Lamu town. with the rail network at Juba City in LAPSSET Chairman Francis South Sudan that traverse through Muthaura said the government Bambari in Central African will also provide access to fresh Republic and Bangui town towards water, electricity and a good road the Atlantic Oceans. network to ensure that investors

know that Lamu is a viable business destination. He said that the desalination plant will transform in Lamu County from arid to an agricultural breadbasket for the country. The project will lead to uptake of power especially from Lamu-Coal-Plant which is expected to generate 1050 watts. We do expect also the Businesses along the corridor will demand power in the next five years

WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

WOMEN IN ENERGY AWARDS

A burning passion

“I have been always been an innovator. I am very happy that my work has been recognized“

Winnie Apiyo Innovation Award Winner

54 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

WOMEN IN ENERGY AWARDS

Discipline, hard work and persistence pay big time but Ms Apiyo has more in the basket: she wants women engineers to stay beautiful and elegant...all the way By Cynthia Wanjiru Take us through your work background I am an Electrical engineer working at -Olkaria. I joined KenGen in 2013 as a graduate engineer. I am currently pursuing a master’s degree at Reykjavik University -Iceland school of energy MSC in sustainable energy engineering). What is your role at KenGen? My work involves operations, maintenance and breakdown resolutions, power plant improvement projects; power generating and performance audits with a view to developing and implementing upgrades to improve performance.   Give us a brief overview of your Innovation Elimination or optimization of energy back-feed to the absolute minimum is one of the major transformation initiatives for the operations division. KenGen bills Kenya Power for energy delivered to the grid using the export register. Currently, imports are metered at the normal prevailing commercial charge rates making it expensive. It should therefore be optimized to the absolute minimum for cost-effectiveness and energy efficiency purposes.

G2G project. I actively participated in the design, installation and commissioning of the Sh7.3 million project, of course with the help of my mentor and Boss Eng Francis Makabwa. How has your work in the energy sector touched the society? The average back-feed demand reduced from 17,000KVA to 450KVA while the average backfeed energy consumption reduced from 153,000kWh to 16,333kWh following the automation of the switching. The average monthly electricity bills reduced by approximately Ksh 1,000,000. How do you feel about being the Innovation category winner for Women in Energy Awards 2017? I must say I didn’t expect to get this award. I have always been an innovator. I am very happy that my work has been recognized. In 2015 I presented the same project with our chief engineer Francis Makabwa. We were the overall winners and had the best implemented project. We were requested to roll out the project in all our plants in the country.

What drives you? I never give up. I love reading and As a long term measure, the auto- doing research. I worked on anmation of the switching at 415 V other successful project last year. was carried out to ensure auxiliary I think with this one I was able to power is drawn from synchronized convince people that this is what units whenever possible. we need as a company. The project This was one of the outcomes of involves central control and moni-

toring of the well head units. Break it down for us? The real time monitoring and control of KenGen’s wellhead power plants in a centralized control centre will assist with rapid detection of faults, diagnosis and repair the downtime of the units due to faults can be reduced, thereby increasing the availability and efficiency. Design of a centralized SCADA system and communication network for the wellhead units was proposed. I am proud of this project and I have been given a go ahead and a budget to implement. Talk to a young woman reading this magazine Doing what you love for a living is more complex than turning a passion into a paying job. Take risks. What a man can do, a woman can do better. Never give up. Stay positive no matter what. Try the impossible. Hard work, determination and interest always pay. Try something new. Be strong and always take the challenge. If you say you will do it, do it. People think that female engineers or technicians are dull people. My advice to all the women in the energy sector is to always stay beautiful and elegant no matter what the situation is

WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

WOMEN IN ENERGY PICTORIALS

Dr. Margaret Makelo

Mrs Mâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Mukindia

Maria Mbeneka First Lady Laikipia County

Caroline Makenzi

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WOMEN IN ENERGY PICTORIALS

Women in Energy Awards & Conference 2017 Dr. Mugambi Director E.A Kenya School Aviation

At the centre: Mrs Twaha First Lady Lamu County

Winners Celebrating

Yasmin Abdulkadir Research Award Winner WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

BURUNDI

The tale of a growing demand-supply gap The Government, with the help of the World Bank and the African Development Bank, has developed policies to reform and modernize the electricity sector By James Ngomeli

he energy sector in Burundi today is very circumscribed. It is made up mainly of the national utility â&#x20AC;&#x153;RIGIDESOâ&#x20AC;?, which benefits from a legal monopoly of electricity transmission, distribution and supply, renewed in 2015 for 25 years. The generation capacities are owned and operated by Rigideso, are mainly hydro-electric, very old and subject to chronic sub-investments. Such is the case for the transmission and distribution assets too. Most of the electrical equipment date from before the independence in 1962. Any additional generation capacity may cause outages due to obsolescence of the grid. Additionally, the country is frequently struggling due to foreign currency issues, to import oil in sufficient quantities for gas-fired plants and personal generators.

Demand

country would be ideally placed for Burundi has a growing power sup- developing numerous renewable ply â&#x20AC;&#x201C;demand gap due to a rapidly energy projects. The transmission increasing power demand in the system is expanding and 500MW Bujumbura capital area against of power static supply sources (notably renewable, with hydro, estimated Mining sector at 1.7 GW and solar estimated at The mining sector in Burundi is 2,000kWh/m2/year. expanding rapidly. Burundi does not have adequate sources of powBurundi has huge demand for er despite the huge deposits of small and medium scale ener- nickel at Musongati which require gy projects which may match in a great deal of energy to mine. For particular with their agricultural example the processing of a million needs (mechanization and food tons of ore requires about 200 MW conservation), the global welfare while the processing of five million of the local population (schools tons of ore require about 800MW. and hospitals) and the potential for mineral extraction in the region. Therefore there is a need for more investment in the renewable enerExpansion gy sector in Burundi considering Putting aside the political crisis its vast energy needs and the fact triggered in 2015, and consider- that most industries have had to ing the current difficulties for the self-generate power. A good examcountry for importing energy re- ple is the Burundi Breweries which sources and the needs in terms of produces 2.6MW of its own power. agriculture , welfare and peace, the

58 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

BURUNDI

Geothermal

The potential of geothermal production in Burundi is very low despite the country sitting in the prime Great Rift Valley. There are approximately 15 water springs with temperatures of about 70 degrees while geothermal production requires about 150-170 degrees.

Peat

The peat potential in Burundi is very high standing at 600 million tons which if explored, is a cheaper alternative to imported fossil fuel. The potential of peat generation is a 100MW.

Solar

President Pierre Nkurunziza The sharp increase in demand for power provides a great investment opportunity. This is due to the fact that hydro power capability is on the rise with Burundi having an excess of 156 potential sites with 26 sites in use for hydro power generation which are in turn capable of rising more than 1700MW. While the current sites can be detailed, design studies of existing plants could allow for rehabilitation and improvement of the capacity. New technologies allow optimal use of components, pipelines, turbines and transformers thus reducing friction and lose improving the transfer of energy. Despite its potential, wind technology in Burundi has not been exploited due to the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lack of a mass of water that would produce enough wind to advance this technology.

Consumption of the electricity shows very poor statistics: it only counts for 1.3% of the primary energy consumption (95% for biomass and 2.5% for oil), the electricity access rate is around 7% (42% in Kenya, 25% in Rwanda and 24% in Tanzania), and the average consumption is 25 kWh/month per person which is slightly below the monthly subsistence level estimated to 30kWh in Africa.

The solar production potential in Burundi is also very high with the average insolation standing at 4-5kwh/m2/day. With most rural areas not connected, this portends a great opportunity for the country. The opportunities are immense in the energy sector with multinational hydro-electric projects mutually benefiting to the countries of the Great Lakes region and with the progressive integration of Burundi in the Eastern African Community, and at national level - with small and medium renewable energy projects feeding local industries, cities and townships. The Burundian Government has developed policies, with the help of World Bank and African Development Bank to reform and modernize its electricity sector

WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

WOMEN IN ENERGY AWARDS

My biggest impact has been in job creation By Cynthia Wanjru

Mary Waringa Mindo Winner: Student Award 60 WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

WOMEN IN ENERGY AWARDS

aringa Mindo, a young entrepreneur has directly impacted many lives. Through Equatorial Energies Ltd, a renewable energy startup company that specializing in bringing innovative solar power solutions to residential, commercial and industrial clients in the region, Waringa has facilitated energy access initiatives.

work as an entrepreneur has been in job creation. Through my work, and in collaboration with my team, we have contributed to job creation by having 9 full-time and 11 parttime staff in our company”, she says Equatorial Energies Ltd. has so far taken part in implementation of 2.8MW out of the 10MW of solar PV installed in Kenya over the past 2 years.

ing platforms, Waringa says is also a wise move. She has personally reaped great benefit from networking and leveraging on the experiences of other women in the industry, through Women in Sustainable Energy and Entrepreneurship (WISEE). This has resulted in an uptake of student participation in training and networking events within the energy industry specifically within Being declared the Women in En- WISEE Community ergy Awards 2017, Student Award As a founding member of Equatowinner, Waringa says it’s an honor rial, her current role is designing transitioning The young lady has the drive, mo- and that she hopes to use the plat- and planning their long-term activation and a desire to lead.She form to expand her knowledge and tivities and linking them to interrecently won in the Students Cat- expertise as well as inspire aspiring nal day to day processes. egory Award in the Women in Energy Conference 2017 for making a “My entry into the Waringa is also researcher at the mark in the energy space through energy sector was POWER Research Working Group innovation. in Nairobi where they aim to demore out of curi“As communities transition from velop research that will address traditional unclean fuels to clean osity rather than the gaps and barriers that must be and modern energy, they derive dealt with to ensure movement in deliberate intenpositive outcomes both in producachieving sustainable energy for all tivity and improvement in quality tion coming from a by 2030. of life,” Waringa says.

My solar journey

background of geospatial engineering“

Mentorship

“My first encounter with solar came in 2014 when I undertook a few consultancy projects with professionals in the energy field. Strathmore Energy Research Cen“I have encountered some very talter (SERC) in feasibility studies for ented and brilliant women in this renewable energy”, she explains. industry during the course of my work and studies. I therefore want Though her tasks mainly involved to encourage and challenge young resource analysis and mapping, women who are passionate about Waringa says she soon developed joining the energy industry to find some working knowledge. An opthe point of intersection between portunity to attend a ToT training their present skills and the indusconducted by Strathmore Univertry sector they aim to engage”, she sity and USAID in solar PV, she says. says, marked her transition into the industry.

Networking

Joining business member associations which provide valuable “One of the biggest impacts of my networking and knowledge shar-

Job creation

On a non-professional level, Warigia volunteers as a mentor for Akili Dada, an organization that seeks to empower the next generation of female African leaders by empowering girls from under-privileged backgrounds through an award-winning leadership incubator program. She uses her experience to mentor those who aspire to take up a career in STEM. The Student Award Category was open to Female Students in tertiary institutions, colleges and universities who have made a mark in the energy space either through career advancement, business or innovation that has brought positive change

WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

TRIUMVIRATE OF THE 3 COUNTRIES

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TRIUMVIRATE OF THE 3 COUNTRIES

RIVER NILE A TALE OF THREE COUNTRIES By James Ngomeli One study by a Cairo University agriculture professor estimated Egypt would lose a staggering 51 percent of its farmland if the fill is done in three years. A slower, six-year fill would cost Egypt 17 percent of its cultivated land, the study claimed. Internal government studies estimate that for every reduction of 1 billion cubic meters of water, 200,000 acres of farmland would be lost and livelihoods of 1 million people affected, since an average of five people live off each acre, a senior Irrigation Ministry official said. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the figures. Will the Grand Renaissance Dam produce Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Electricy power house?

WATTS UP MAGAZINE FEB-MARCH

TRIUMVIRATE OF THE 3 COUNTRIES

he 30th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Summit holding on the theme: ‘Winning the Fight Against Corruption: A Sustainable Path to Africa’s Transformation’ ended last January at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with the adoption of key decisions by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government.

Ethiopia, which is financing the project by itself hopes to become the continents biggest power generator. The dam is the center piece of Ethiopia’s ambitious power exporting plans.

A major source of disagreement over the Grand Renaissance Dam is the speed at which its reservoir would be filled.

Egypt fears that it will cut into its water supply, destroying parts of its Talks between the three precious farmland and squeezing governments had been stalling for its population of 93 million people, months over disagreements on the who already face water shortages. wording of a study on the dam’s Dam construction on international rivers often causes disputes over environmental impact. the downstream impact. But even as decisions and agreements were being made the Will the dam gobBut the Nile is different: few nations meeting also urged dialogue and ble up precious rely so completely on a single river cooperation between Ethiopia, as much as Egypt does. The Nile Egypt and Sudan over the Nile farmland in the provides over 90 per cent of Egypt’s River. desert? water supply. Egypt and Ethiopia are at Tensions over the use of the Almost the entire population loggerheads over the construction of the Grand Renaissance Dam, world’s longest river have also lives cramped in the sliver of the a Kshs. 400Billion (USD 4B)- long bubbled between the Egypt Nile Valley. Around 60 per cent hydroelectric project. Cairo fears and Ethiopia, raising fears that the of Egypt’s Nile water originates in reduction of waters that run to its dispute could eventually boil over Ethiopia from the Blue Nile, one of two main tributaries. fields and reservoirs from Ethiopia’s into conflict. highlands via Sudan.

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TRIUMVIRATE OF THE 3 COUNTRIES

Egypt hardly gets by with the water it has. It has one of the lowest per capita shares of water in the world, some 660 cubic meters per person. The strain is worsened by inefficiency and waste. With the population expected to double in 50 years, shortages are predicted to become severe even sooner, by 2025. Egypt already receives the lion’s share of Nile waters; more than 55 of the 88 billion cubic meters of water that flow down the river each year. It is promised that amount under agreements from 1929 and 1959 that other Nile nations say are unfair and ignore the needs of their own large populations. Further complicating the situation, is the fact that no one has a clear idea of the impact the dam will have. Addis Ababa insists it will not cause significant harm downstream. A lot depends on the management of the flow by how fast Ethiopia fills its reservoir, which can hold 74 billion cubic meters o f

water. A faster fill means blocking more water, while doing it slowly would mean less reduction downstream. Once the fill is completed, the flow would in theory return to normal. Egypt, where agriculture employs a quarter of the work force, is worried that the damage could be

On who’s side will the “middle brother” lean? long-lasting.

One study by a Cairo University agriculture professor estimated that Egypt would lose a staggering 51% of its farmland if the fill is done in three years. A slower, six-year fill would cost Egypt 17% of its cultivated land,

The Grand Rensissnce Dam under construction

the study claimed. Internal government studies estimate that for every reduction of 1 billion cubic meters of water, 200,000 acres of farmland would be lost and livelihoods of 1 million people affected, since an average of five people live off each acre, a senior Irrigation Ministry official said. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the figures. Some experts say the impact will be far smaller, even minimal. They say Egypt would suffer no damage at all if it works together with Ethiopia, exchanging information and adjusting the rate of filling the reservoir to ensure that Egypt’s own massive reservoir on the Nile, Lake Nasser, stays full to meet its needs during the fill. Unfortunately, that isn’t happening so far

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