Urbasolar and Kenyatta University inaugurate a solar power plant in Kenya
Within the framework of the United Nations environment conference, the French Minister of the Energy Transition, Nicolas Hulot, the French ambassador to Kenya, Antoine Sivan, and the Kenyan Minister of Energy, Charles Keter, were present December 4th to inaugurate the pilot photovoltaic power plant of Kenyatta University’s Center for Excellence in Nairobi, alongside numerous officials, professors, students, and economic actors.
Created in partnership with the university, the center for excellence will be dedicated to the technical training of Kenyan and East African professionals in photovoltaics, for the development of the industry. The pilot plant is a combination of many offers from French companies, on the campus of Kenyatta University: a true platform of innovative technologies, its construction has already provided training for local partners and students.
The project was financed by the French government through a FASEP (Fonds d’étude et d’Aide au Secteur Privé, French funding for studies and aid in the private sector) which aims to benefit receiving countries with French know-how and respond to their sustainable economic development needs.
It is the culmination of a successful partnership between Urbasolar and Kenyatta University, with the support of the economic service of the French embassy and the French ministry of education for the transfer of know-how as well as the training of new generations of students in the issues of sustainable development.
In the continuation of its strategy of international development, Urbasolar created its Urbasolar Kenya subsidiary in the beginning of 2017 as a joint-venture with local entrepreneurs. Kenyatta University’s project is the second project carried out by this subsidiary. The collaboration with Kenyatta University also includes other upcoming steps including the successive commissioning of a 10 MW plant and a second plant of 40 MW, for which both ministers have shown their complete support.