Marigat Biomass Energy using the invasive Prosopis Juliflora tree

Prosopis Juliflora ‘Mathenge’ tree

The term “biomass” encompasses diverse fuels derived from timber, agriculture and food processing wastes or from fuel crops that are specifically grown or reserved for electricity generation.
The Cummins Cogeneration Kenya Ltd intends to put up a 12 MW – per year – biofuel plant in Marigat, Baringo County at a cost of Shs 220 million (US$22 million).
The power plant will be fed by the Prosopis Juliflora tree commonly known as “Mathenge”. It was named after a botanist who went by the name Mathenge who initiated it. The tree was first introduced in Kenya in 1973 from Brazil for the rehabilitation of quarries in Mombasa by Bamburi Cement.
It was later introduced in Baringo, Tana and Pokot areas to serve as a windbreak to cut erosion, slow desertification and curb fuel wood shortages. Baringo has a Mathenge forest cover of about 30,000 hectares, the highest density of the invasive plant in Kenya. The forest can serve the power plant for over 20 years.
Prosopis Juliflora is a hardy plant that grows very fast even with little water and is ready for harvest within two to three years. The harvested plant grows back to its original size in 16 to 18 months.
The mathenge tree produces good quality fuel, about 5000 kcal/kg, which burns well even when freshly cut. The waste from the combustion process can be recycled into charcoal briquettes for sale. The tree will be transformed from an invasive weed to a cash crop.
The unit price of producing electricity from biomass is 8 US cents per KWh. Biomass ranks second as the cheapest source of energy after geothermal power, which costs 6.4 US cents; and beats hydro and thermal, which cost 12.5 US cents and 10.2 US cents respectively according to 2012 estimates.
The Prosopis Juliflora tree has successfully been used as feedstock at energy generation plants in India.
The biomass energy project will be off-grid and will be distributed under the supervision of the local government. It is a perfect example of an off-grid power source which has been lauded as a solution to tackling energy poverty. And integrating the biomass power with the Perkerra irrigation scheme could serve as a catalyst in mitigating rural poverty in Marigat.

Kenya to Learn from India’s Electricity Distribution Reforms

Kenya-India

Delhi India is the new Mecca for developing countries wishing to privatize electricity distribution.
The Delhi region power consumer base is around 4.231 million. The energy demand is approximately 5,000 MW. The power distribution companies were privatized in 2002, and the stake held by the central government through Delhi Power Co. Ltd is 49%.
Since privatization, the Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses have significantly reduced in Delhi from over 55% to 15%. The developing countries would like to gain this technical expertise to implement in their respective countries.
To take advantage of India’s capacity building relating to power distribution, Kenya Energy Regulatory Commission (KERC) and Kenya Power recently made a reconnoitering mission to Delhi with the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC).
Kenya Power has been the sole utility power distributor in Kenya for the last fifty years. With these new developments, is it time to end Kenya Power monopoly? – The Energy Bill 2015 seeks to do just that. Microgrid Energy, a US private company is set to be the new competitor from September 2015.
The Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) has also partnered to train transmission engineers with India state-owned Power Grid Corp. of India Ltd (PGCIL).
Kenya improved electrical transmission system will reduce power outages and wide consumer base.
The other countries that have made a similar pilgrimage to India are Jamaica, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Tanzania.