Kisumu County starts construction of Sh300 million bio energy centre to mitigate climate change

According to the Energy Executive Alice Moraa, the centre will offer an alternative to firewood as a source of energy for hundreds of families.

The county government is putting up a Sh300 million biogas production plant in a campaign to protect forests in the region.

The bio-energy centre, to be put up in Masogo village, will convert industrial and human waste into cooking gas.

According to the Energy Executive Alice Moraa, the centre will offer an alternative to firewood as a source of energy for hundreds of families.

Ms Moraa said while energy-efficient projects had gained pace in developed countries, Kisumu had been held back by lack of funds.

"We have set aside Sh300 million for the bio-energy centre, but we still need about Sh100 million to equip it," she said

The scheme is part of Kisumu's draft Green Energy Policy to promote renewable energy sources.

These include solar, biogas and hydro-power alongside more sustainable use of charcoal and wood fuel.

COUNTY AUTHORITIES

The policy also commits county authorities to introduce a regulatory framework for wood fuel and support for commercial woodlots.

It also seeks to promote the commercialisation and widespread use of renewable energy technologies and to train farmers in alternative energy sources.

Under the Green Energy Policy, the county government has pledged to pursue the global climate targets and to actively contribute to the reduction of global emissions.

However, according to Moraa, access to renewable energy sources remains a major challenge in developing the lakeside region’s domestic economy.

She said the lakeside region was still highly dependent on charcoal and firewood.

The bio-energy centre comes at a time when the county is mobilising residents to plant trees. The region's forest cover stands at 0.4 per cent, way below the national target of 10 per cent.