Nairobi — Kenya is looking to upgrade its national power grid from 3 Giga Watts to 100 Giga Watts by 2040 as it seeks to fully transition to renewable energy.
President William Ruto said Monday when he presided over the official opening of the Africa Climate summit in Nairobi told over 20,000 delegates form across the globe that his administration is committed to achieving the 100 percent renewable energy transition.
Ruto said that Kenya's national grid currently operates at 3 Giga Watts, with 92 per cent of that power being renewable.
"Our ambition is audacious yet achievable: 100% renewable by 2030 and a 100 Giga Watt grid, entirely renewable, by 2040," he said.
The Head of Sate said that Africa's renewable energy resources is a critical component as the world battles the adverse effects of climate.
"Our renewable energy resources are not just an environmental necessity; they're the ultimate catalyst of radical socio-economic prosperity," he added.
President Ruto said that Africa's renewable resources can fuel sustainable development, drive economic growth, create jobs, and uplift millions from energy poverty--"all while reducing our carbon footprint, continentally and globally."
Ruto said that Africa can power all energy needs with renewable resources not that the continent has enough potential to be entirely self-sufficient with the mix of wind, solar, geothermal, sustainable biomass and hydropower.
He went on to say that Africa can be a green industrial hub that helps other regions achieve their net zero strategies by 2050.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"It is not just the volume but also the non-seasonality of our renewable energy that stands out. The nearly year-round sunshine makes Africa's solar potential particularly unique, perfectly suited to industrial energy demands - something that is more challenging in temperate climates," he added.
Ruto stated that there is an urgent need for bridging the investment gap in order to enable the continent to meet its energy needs
He emphasized the necessity of the Industrial energy at scale to anchor energy demand, as a means of tackling the widespread energy poverty still prevalent across the continent.
"The numbers are stark: nearly 600 million Africans lack access to electricity, another 150 million grapple with unreliable power, and almost a billion have no access to clean cooking energy," Ruto said.
"But the abundance of our renewable resources, the possibilities offered by new technologies and opportunities created by new climate financing, offers enormous possibilities."
President Ruto further said that the continent has the capability to provide reliable, and cost-effective energy access to all Africans by 2030.
He noted that Africa's strategic proximity to substantial reserves of metals and minerals necessary for the global energy transition, makes the continent an attractive candidate to become a global hub in green industrial supply chain.
"The green transformation of both production and consumption is not optional - it's an imperative. The global demand for such solutions is already gaining momentum," he said.
