Bamburi Cement PLC has joined the growing list of high-profile firms planning to ditch Kenya Power for solar energy.
Already, Bamburi Cement has signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with an Independent Power Producer, MOMNAI Energy Limited, to set up two Solar Plants adjacent to the company’s Mombasa Plant and Nairobi Grinding Plant.
The solar power systems have a total capacity of 14.5MW and 5MW for Bamburi’s Mombasa Plant and Nairobi Grinding Plant respectively. This will account for up to approximately 40 percent of Bamburi’s total power supply.
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“We are elated to be making this step towards switching to more affordable and clean energy that will not only lead to a significant reduction in power costs but also bring us closer to our goal of achieving Net Zero carbon emissions,” said Miriam Ngolo, Bamburi’s Strategy & Business Development Director.
Construction of the solar power plants is scheduled to begin at the end of 2022, after requisite regulatory approvals with expected completion within a year.
“Shifting to renewable solar energy will help us meet key objectives under our sustainability agenda which include reducing the carbon footprint of our operations, saving on costs, and upholding Holcim’s Net Zero Pledge with Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi). It will also position us to deliver on our commitments to the UN COP21 Climate Change Agreement while remaining environmental stewards and partners in building Kenya sustainably,” said Bamburi’s Group Managing Director, Seddiq Hassani.
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MOMNAI Energy will be responsible for financing all costs related to the project, including developing, managing, operating, and maintaining the solar photovoltaic plants’ infrastructure.
“We are dedicated to playing a significant role in a fast transition to a cleaner and cheaper energy sector in Africa for a more sustainable world and improvements of the economies and livelihood of people on the African continent. Supplying solar power directly to Bamburi Cement fulfills both our agendas and we are delighted to assist the Holcim Group in fulfilling its Net Zero Pledge,” added MOMNAI Energy Director Anders Hauch.
This comes days after Unilever revealed that it will apply for a licence to generate and distribute electricity in a bid to beat Kenya Power’s high cost of electricity and blackouts.
Unilever joined the East African Breweries Limited (EABL) subsidiaries – Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) and East Africa Maltings – which have applied for electricity generating and distribution licences even as they seek to disconnect from the national grid.
Kenya Power’s industrial customers account for 54.8 percent of its sales revenues.
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