Kenya Aims to Deepen Its Use of Renewable Energy With Green Hydrogen

Posted on : Friday , 30th May 2025

In order to increase its usage of renewable energy, Kenya is considering using green hydrogen, which is predicted to have enormous potential for both cleaning up industries and generating new jobs locally in a various sectors.  

 

The nation intends to use hydrogen generated by geothermal, solar, and wind power plants whenever they are not supplying electricity to the national grid.  

 

Following this, hydrogen will be used in the production of fertilisers as well as in the production of cement and steel, mining and quarrying, and electricity production all of which are industries that use fossil fuels.  

 

According to the Energy Ministry, exporting locally produced green hydrogen to nearby nations and other markets seeking to decarbonize their sectors presents a significant opportunity.  

 

Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi stated, "Green hydrogen is not only an important component of our region's energy future, but it is also a catalyst for economic transformation, environmental sustainability, and geopolitical cooperation."  

 

Speaking at the opening of the Eastern Africa Regional Green Hydrogen Symposium, the CS stated that green hydrogen provides Kenya with a mechanism to deal with the significant changes occurring around the world.  

 

"Africa possesses some of the most abundant renewable energy resources; our region has the capacity to serve as a global center for energy exports in addition to meeting our own energy needs. We can unlock this potential with the help of green hydrogen and its derivatives, including green ammonia," CS stated.  

 

The government is evaluating its energy policy, and the new framework would prioritize green hydrogen and involve collaborations with the private sector to establish production infrastructure. Stated Mr. Wandayi.  

 

Germany, one of the development partners, has stated that it has obtained grants and concessional funding to expand the green hydrogen industry, even though it is still in its early stages in Kenya.  

 

Sebastian Groth, the German ambassador to Kenya, stated that the nation has pledged more than Sh17 billion to help build a 100 megawatt power plant that KenGen would construct and a green hydrogen value chain that will enable the production of fertilizer locally.