Jared Opole, Gideon Kidegho, Julius Muga

ABSTRACT

The usage of green energy is rapidly rising globally in response to minimizing the greenhouse effect. The main contributors to the greenhouse effect are greenhouse gases such as carbon (IV) oxide, and methane among others. These gases are caused by human activities such as electricity generation from coal, diesel, and natural gas power plants. Therefore, the use of clean renewable energy sources of energy is a major step toward the solution to this problem. The Kenyan government has come up with strategies and policies to implement a 100% transition to renewable energy by 2030. For the 100% transition, several untapped renewable energy potentials must be exploited to bring enough electricity to the national grid to replace generation from nonrenewable sources. For the success of this project, the assessment of the renewable energy potential in Kenya is needed. Solar energy is available everywhere in Kenya and can be exploited in various sizes for use thus becoming popular among other renewable sources. Its usage has spread across the country including the Kenyan coast since it has become an alternative source of energy to remote areas that are not connected to the national grid, moreover, several manufacturing companies along the Kenyan coast, for example, Mvita oil, Umoja rubber among others are going green with the help of solar energy. Therefore, as the use of solar energy rises, the assessment of solar energy potential will be of great importance. This work thus aims to assess solar energy potential along the coastal region of Kenya available for power generation.

Keywords: Greenhouse effect, renewable energy, solar potential, coastal region of Kenya.