| Malindi Solar Power Station | |
|---|---|
| Country | Kenya |
| Location | Malindi, Kilifi County |
| Coordinates | 03°12′25″S 39°44′49″E / 3.20694°S 39.74694°E / -3.20694; 39.74694 |
| Status | Operational |
| Commission date | 2022 |
| Construction cost | US$66 Million |
| Owner | Malindi Solar Group Limited |
| Solar farm | |
| Type | Flat-panel PV |
| Power generation | |
| Nameplate capacity | 52 MW (70,000 hp) |
| [edit on Wikidata] | |
The Malindi Solar Power Station is a 52 MW (70,000 hp) solar power plant in Kenya.
Location
The power station is located in Malindi, Kilifi County, at the Indian Ocean, approximately 116 kilometres (72 mi) by road north of Mombasa, the nearest large city. This is approximately 497 kilometres (309 mi), by road, south-east of Nairobi, the country's capital and largest city.
Overview
The power station has a 52 megawatt capacity. Its output is planned to be sold directly to the Kenya Power and Lighting Company for integration into the national grid. It is expected most of the power generated will be consumed locally, in an area with increasing energy demand, limited energy supply and an expanding population. It is also anticipated that the power station will support the creation of jobs through direct employment and indirect job creation through more consistent supply of electricity. Up to 250 direct jobs are expected to be created, in addition to a further 5,600 jobs in the wider economy.
Developers
The power station was developed by a consortium of comprising the following corporations: (a) Commonwealth Development Corporation (b) Globeleq (c) Africa Energy Development Corporation (AEDC), the originator of the project and (d) IDEA Power.
Ownership
When completed the power station will be owned by Malindi Solar Group Limited, a special purpose vehicle company, which will operate the solar energy project. The ownership of Malindi Solar Group Limited is as illustrated in the table below:
| Rank | Name of Owner | Domicile | Percentage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Globeleq | United Kingdom | 60.0 | |
| 2 | Norfund | Norway | 30.0 | |
| 3 | Africa Energy Development Corporation (AEDC) | Kenya | 10.0 | |
| Total | 100.00 |
Construction costs, funding, and commissioning
The construction of the solar power plant is budgeted at US$66 million, with US$50 million sourced from the CDC Group and US$16 million sourced from Globeleq. It was expected that the power station would come online in 2020. In January 2022, Afrik21.africa reported that the power station had started "commercial operations".
In February 2024, Kenyan media reported that Globeleq had received authorization from the Kenyan Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) to invest KSh4.6 billion (US$29 million) in a battery storage system at this power station. The battery storage is expected to be in the 40 MWh range and is intended to respond to peak-hour demand between 7.30pm and 8.30pm Kenyan time.
See also
References
- ^ "UK Firms To Develop Sh6.7 Billion Solar Power Plant In Malindi". Nairobi: Business Today Kenya. 12 July 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
- "Road Distance between Mombasa, Kenya and Malindi, Kenya" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
- "Road Distance between Nairobi, Kenya and Malindi, Kenya" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
- ^ AVCA (12 July 2018). "CDC Group Invested US$50 Million In Malindi Solar Group, To Build A 52 Megawatts Solar Photovoltaic Power Plant In South-East Kenya". London: Africa Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (AVCA). Retrieved 1 June 2019.
- Priyanka Shrestha (7 May 2019). "UK Injects £52 Million Into Solar Power Plant In Kenya". London: Energy Live News Limited. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
- ^ Jean Marie Takouleu (25 January 2022). "Kenya: Malindi solar power plant (52 MWp) starts commercial operations". Afrik21.africa. Paris, France. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
- "Foreign Secretary Welcomes More Than £64 Million of British funding for Kenyan Industry". Congo Brazzaville: Africanews.com. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
- John Mutua (13 February 2024). "UK firm, Globeleq to invest Sh4.6bn on solar plant in Malindi". Business Daily Africa. Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
External links
- Sh6 Billion Malindi Solar Power Plan At Risk As Companies Feud As of 8 February 2018.
- Kenya: Globeleq will soon launch Malindi Solar Park construction As of 7 June 2019.