Kenya banks on smart grids to accelerate renewable energy transition

During the Kenya Energy Transition Forum 2026 held on August 11, stakeholders discussed strategies for strengthening and modernising the country's power system.

The forum, convened by the State Department for Energy under the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum in partnership with Huawei Kenya, brought together government officials, energy executives, technology leaders and research institutions.

Principal Secretary for Energy Alex Wachira said Kenya had recently recorded a peak electricity demand of 2,549 MW, with demand expected to rise to between 2,600 and 2,650 MW by the end of the year as new transmission and generation projects come online.

He said demand falls to between 1,600 and 1,700 MW at night, creating an opportunity to store electricity and release it during the evening peak.

“It means that we have about 1,000 megawatts that we need to store and we can dispatch it within the four hours that we are having during the evening peak,” noted the PS.

According to Wachira, the storage would also help reduce thermal generation while allowing Kenya to integrate more solar and wind power.

“The energy transition is therefore not simply about adding more renewable generation. It is also about modernising the electricity grid and transforming the way we plan, operate and manage the power system,” added Wachira. 

He identified smart grids, advanced grid management systems, improved forecasting, digitalisation, demand-side flexibility, power electronics and energy storage as important technologies for strengthening grid stability, integrating higher levels of renewable energy, improving resilience and reducing technical and commercial losses.

At the session, James Sun Quan, Deputy CEO Public Affairs Huawei Kenya said the technology company is open to collaborations in Kenya's energy transition journey. 

“Technologies such as grid-forming energy storage and smart grid solutions can help Kenya integrate more renewable energy while keeping the grid stable and reliable, and we look forward to continuing this partnership to deliver practical solutions for the country's power sector,” said Quan. 

The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) chairman Moses Mabonga added that renewable sources accounted for 80.17 per cent of the electricity mix in the financial year ended June 2025, while thermal power contributed 9.23 per cent. 

The EPRA boss attributed the increased use of thermal generation partly to higher demand during the evening peak between 7pm and 10pm.

On his part, KenGen CEO Eng. Peter Njenga said the company is expanding beyond its traditional focus on geothermal and hydro to explore more solar and wind generation, particularly citing wind potential in Marsabit and Meru.

“Just like it has been explained here, it means then that we have to look at new technologies for us to be able to handle the challenges of grid instability when you introduce intermittency into the grid,” Njenga said.

He further said Kenya needs to combine different technologies to maintain reliable power supply.

“To ensure there is security of power, it requires taking all these technologies and bringing them together, mixing them into one energy mix.” 

Wachira urged stakeholders to move from discussions to practical solutions, with investment, policy and regulation supporting energy storage and modern grid technology as Kenya prepares for rising demand and greater renewable energy integration.