Kenya National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy 2020

Abstract

Energy Efficiency and Conservation is one of the key pillars of sustainable development in Kenya. The government has placed it as one of the priority areas of improvement in its efforts to enhance the quality of life of its citizens. Improving energy efficiency and conservation helps to improve energy security, reduces the expenditure of foreign currency reserves on energy imports, lessens the strain on the national grid during peak times and lowers the cost externalities associated with emissions. The country has several initiatives aimed at improving energy efficiency and conservation. These initiatives are drawn from policies such as Sessional Paper No. 4 of 2004 on Energy, Vision 2030, Energy Act 2019, Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) Initiative, the Energy (Energy Management) Regulations 2012 and the Energy (Appliances’ Energy Performance and Labelling) Regulations 2016. These initiatives have helped improve energy efficiency and conservation in commercial, domestic, industrial and institutional sectors of energy consumption. However, these initiatives adopt a disparate approach, with a lack of central coordination, and do not cover all the essential areas outlined in the Big Four Agenda. This agenda encompasses food security, affordable housing, manufacturing, and affordable healthcare for all with energy playing a central role in all four. It is therefore essential for the country to have a strategy that spells out energy efficiency targets in vital sectors and coordination mechanisms among private and public entities.