Wind Energy

Kenyan wind energy gets U.N. carbon credit approval

The wind energy project, which will be built in a remote area near the Lake Turkana basin, will use 360 wind turbines. The $870 million Lake Turkana Wind Power (LTWP) project, set to begin construction in December, will be the largest wind farm in Africa when it is completed. Construction on the 617 million euro Lake Turkana Wind Power (LTWP) project is expected to start by December and will be the fourth project in Kenya to get approval under the CDM. "We are extremely pleased to have received notification of project registration," Carlo van Wageningen, LTWP chairman, said in a statement.

"This is further confirmation that renewable energy is a viable option for Africa." Under carbon offset programs like the CDM, firms invest in projects that reduce climate-warming emissions in developing nations and receive credits called certified emissions reductions (CERs) in return.

The LTWP power project, expected to be operational after 2013, expects to reduce emissions by more than 700,000 tonnes annually — equivalent emissions of more than 150,000 cars a year — by substituting fossil fuel-based electricity generation.

"LTWP has pledged to return part of the carbon credit revenue to the Government of Kenya," added van Wageningen. "It is of great comfort that the government has indicated that it will use such revenue for development activities in the project area."

LTWP is a subsidiary of KP&P, a Dutch firm which sets up wind power projects. Other firms with CDM-approved projects in east Africa’s biggest economy include power producers Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen), Mumias Sugar and OrPower. Sixteen other projects are awaiting approval.

http://laketurkanawindpower.com/