Kipeto is a 100MW onshore wind farm in Kenya consisting of 60 General Electric (GE) turbines. It is the second largest wind farm in the country supplying an estimated 250,000 households. Based in the Esilanke area in Kajiado County, southwest of Nairobi, the wind farm covers an area of approximately 33km² and is connected to the Kenyan national grid at Isinya substation via a 17km 220kV transmission line.
Kipeto’s shareholders are also developing a greenfield expansion wind farm project adjacent to the south of the existing site consisting of an additional 100MW with an integrated battery energy storage system.
60 GE 1.7 -103 wind turbines installed.
This wind farm covers an area of approximately 3,300 ha.
Situated in Kajiado which is closely located (c. 70km) to the critical Nairobi load centre.
The project was initially conceived in 2008 by Kenyan developers, Craftskills, and supported by a series of international investors over the years.
In 2016, Kipeto signed a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Kenya Power, with the vision of providing 100 MW of operational power for the Kenyan grid.
In December 2018, the project reached financial close.
Construction began in early 2019. The entire project, consisting of the 100MW wind farm as well as a 17-kilometer transmission line, took 24 months to finish.
Despite COVID-19 challenges, the last of the 60 General Electric turbines was erected on 31st May 2020. All turbines were erected without incident.
Kipeto was fully connected to the grid on 1st July 2021. During the height of construction, Kipeto had over 900 workers on site of which over 400 were from the local community.
Kipeto adheres to international best practice for biodiversity management. For instance, there is an innovative Shut Down on Demand programme that has been implemented since the windfarm’s commissioning to prevent collisions of birds with the turbines.
Kipeto has a strong operational safety record with zero Lost TimeInjuries (LTIs) to date.
In 2023, Meridiam successfully completed a majority acquisition investment in Kipeto.
“We would like to thank the local community for their support of this project from the outset. Today [Commercial Operations Date] is a proud day for Kipeto and the local community of Kajiado as we enter into commercial operation after a 12-year journey…now we are providing clean and sustainable energy for the people of Kenya with the support of KPLC and Ketraco.”
Founded in 2005, Meridiam is a global investor and asset manager specialized in developing, financing and managing long-term public infrastructure projects in three core sectors: sustainable mobility, critical public services and innovative low carbon solutions. Meridiam employs close to 400 professionals across its ten global offices and manages more than 125 assets totaling more than $22bn across Europe, North America and Africa. Meridiam is certified ISO 9001: 2015, Advanced Sustainability Rating by VigeoEiris (Moody’s) and applies a unique methodology in relation to ESG and impact based on United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
www.meridiam.com
From humble beginnings of installing small-scale, individual home wind turbines, Craftskills was founded in 2008 with a mission of developing large-scale renewable power resources all over Africa for the generation of electricity by applying best practices and making maximum use of resource capacities. Craftskills originally applied to the Ministry of Energy for rights to develop the Kipeto site in 2008 – a venture which has since brought prosperity to the surrounding communities and contributed to Kenya’s overarching development goals.
Partner and Deputy CEO, Meridiam
“Our investment in Kipeto reinforces our footprint both in Kenya and more globally in Africa where we invested more than €5 billion to date. Kipeto, our first wind farm asset on the continent, greatly complements our existing renewable portfolio which already comprises solar, hydro and biomass assets. Taking also into account our pipeline assets, our total renewable generation capacity in Africa is over 500 MW.”
Kipeto is supported by the United States Development Finance Corporation who provided over $230m of external debt financing, as well as the African Trade Insurance Agency who provided a liquidity facility. Additionally, The Nature Conservancy contributed an innovative nature-based loan towards Kipeto’s biodiversity programme.
Kipeto has implemented a state-of-the-art Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) which includes an innovative Shut Down on Demand (SDoD) system to temporarily shut down specific turbines when birds are spotted. This allows to avoid collisions and significantly reduces negative impact on the avifauna. The company also funds conservation and restoration initiatives in the surrounding area.
As part of its wider BAP, Kipeto is working with some of the world-leading ornithologists and Kenyan wildlife bodies to protect Kwenia and Olerai colonies of critically endangered Rupell’s and White-backed vultures living some 14km and 10km respectively from the site to ensure a net-gain and no net loss for the local raptor population.
83 new homes built for the landowners during construction.
During construction, Kipeto built four boreholes - Three of which are in the vicinity of the windfarm with each having a 100,000 litre storage tank. The other borehole was built at the Enarau Community along the transmission line and has a storage of around 50,000 litres, with a trough for both cows and sheep, and is fenced.
In 2023, the shareholders of Kipeto established the Kipeto Community Development Trust to support the surrounding community around the wind farm for the entire duration of the wind project.
The selection of project themes to be implemented by the Trust, as well as the governance framework, has been agreed through extensive consultations with the community. This collaborative approach ensures that the Trust’s initiatives align with the specific needs and aspirations of the local community.
Kipeto aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
SDG 7: 66,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide offset each year.
SDG 8: More than 400 local jobs were created during construction and 70 ongoing jobs during operational phase, with training for individuals to enable them access work opportunities longer term.
SDG 15: Kipeto wind turbines feature a Shut Down on Demand function to stop operating when birds are flying in the area, reducing negative impacts on avifauna.
The Pavilion | 2nd Floor | Lower Kabete Road | Westlands
T. +254 701 177 541 | E. info@kipetoenergy.co.ke | www.kipetoenergy.co.ke
Other notable initiatives through Kipeto’s BAP includes the construction of fortified predator-proof bomas (livestock enclosures) to mitigate against human-wildlife conflicts within the Kajiado and Narok counties.