Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund 40MW solar PV plant begins operation in Kenya

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
The 40MW Kesses project in Kenya. Credit: The Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund

A joint venture involving the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF) has announced that its 40MW Kesses solar project in Kenya has started operations.

Alongside the EAIF, the backers include the Private Infrastructure Development Group, the Standard Bank Group, Stanbic Bank Kenya and Alten Kenya Solarfarms, a range of groups based in Africa and further afield, making the investment a global project. The groups invested US$87 million into the project, and electricity generated at the facility will be sold to the Kenyan grid as part of a 20-year power purchase agreement signed between Alten and the Kenya Power and Lighting Company.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

“We are thrilled to see Kesses in action, further cementing Kenya’s status as a global renewable energy leader,” said Sine Zulu, an investment specialist at Ninety One and a fund manager at the EAIF. “Africa leads the world in solar energy potential, and more projects of this type are needed to ensure we meet the continent’s growing demand for energy without compromising greenhouse gas emissions.”

The start of work at Kesses is the latest milestone in Kenya’s growing solar power sector. According to the country’s Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Kenya had four operational solar facilities prior to the start of work at Kesses, with a combined capacity of 170MW, so the new project will make a significant contribution to the country’s solar sector.

More broadly, the authority notes that in 2022, 86.98% of the energy generated in Kenya came from renewable sources, up from 77% in 2019, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency. A wave of recent foreign investments into Kenyan renewable power could demonstrate stakeholders’ interest in both decarbonising the country’s energy mix, and ensuring energy security in the long-term as the world moves away from fossil fuels.

“Kenya is a global leader in renewable energy generation,” added Jorge Hernández Moro, head of asset management at Alten, the Spanish independent power producer responsible for the construction of the Kesses plant.

“Projects such as Kesses will push the country towards achieving 100% clean energy generation by 2030, helping sustain Kenya’s economic progress and accelerate recovery from pandemic-induced losses, global supply chain disruption and rising inflation. This contributes to a more sustainable and inclusive future for the region.”

Read Next

October 3, 2025
EDF Renewables and Enlight Renewable Energy have advanced solar-plus-storage projects in New Mexico and Arizona.
October 1, 2025
Italy has released the results of its latest solar auction, which includes 273 expressions of interest for a combined capacity of 3,161MW.
September 30, 2025
Global investor KKR has acquired 50% of a 1.4GW solar portfolio in North American from French oil major TotalEnergies.
September 24, 2025
Spanish IPP Sonnedix has acquired five solar projects in Sicily and Lazio, Italy, with a combined capacity of 226MW.
September 23, 2025
Sunsure Energy has commissioned an 82.5MW solar project in Jhansi, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, its tenth project in the state.
September 19, 2025
EdgeMode has acquired a portfolio of data centre assets in Spain, with plans to build a 300MW solar, 1.2GWh storage facility at the sites.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK