ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, 10th December-Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum (CS) Hon Opiyo Wandayi has said that energy efficiency is vital for Kenya’s sustainable development.
This, he noted, aligns with Kenya’s Vision 2030, supports economic growth, and fosters sustainable development by facilitating the integration of more renewable energy sources and improving living standards.
“The benefits of energy efficiency in Kenya are significant and include lowering energy bills, increasing energy security by reducing reliance on imports, and creating jobs,” he said in a message to a Ministerial Roundtable on Advancing Energy Efficiency as a Priority for Africa, at the ongoing inaugural African Energy Efficiency Conference, (AfEEC)2025, being held in Africa Union(AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
CS Wandayi added that it helps in improving public health by decreasing pollution, enhancing grid stability, promoting climate goals outlined in the Paris Agreement, and making energy services more affordable and accessible for all citizens.
The Constitution of Kenya, promulgated in 2010, mandates the government to ensure the sustainable exploitation, utilisation, management, and conservation of the environment and natural resources.
The Energy Act of 2019 clearly establishes the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) as the authority responsible for coordinating the development and implementation of national energy efficiency and conservation programs.
The Energy Management Regulations require commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities with annual energy consumption exceeding 180,000 kWh to develop an energy management plan and conduct energy audits every 4 years.
The Kenya National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy (2020) has outlined actions to improve energy efficiency in five key sectors of Kenya’s economy namely households, industry, transport, power utilities, and buildings.
CS Wandayi reiterated that Kenya has strong frameworks, including the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy (NEECS) and its Implementation Plan which guide sector-specific actions and international cooperation.
Organised by the African Energy Commission (AFREC), the AU’s special agency, the conference seeks to enhance energy efficiency in the sector across the region.
It comes in the wake of the ever-increasing energy demands due to a growing population, rapid urbanisation, and industrialisation.
Statistics provided by the AU’s special agency, AFREC, Africa contributes less than 4% of global emissions but still encounters acute climate change impacts.
This has led to nearly 1 billion people in Africa lacking access to clean cooking utilities, and about 550 million lacking access to electricity.
AfEEC brought together energy sector leaders, policymakers, and financiers to shape the continent’s energy future: “To achieve an increase in productivity in Africa, in all productive sectors, by 12% by 2030, and 70% by 2053.”
