19 August 2013, Nairobi – The Nairobi county government in Kenya has entered into negotiations with a German multi-national company on a partnerships that will see the city’s waste used to generate power. The construction of high-tech plants will make Nairobi the leading city in recycling and environmental friendly generation of electricity.
Governor Evans Kidero at the weekend met with the Berlin-based investors who were accompanied by their ambassador to Kenya Margit Hell Wig-Bott. He said the Sh28.7 billion project will be completed in 20 months.
Sustainable Energy Management UG managing partners Roger Hermann and Frank D. Masuhr said the project is viable as long as solid waste is available all year round.
Nairobi produces 2,000 tonnes of waste a day. Deputy director of environment Isaac Muraya confirming that they collect between 850 to 1100 tonnes a day.
Kidero said the spartnership between his administration and the German firm to divert waste from landfills and create a long-term source of energy is a major step in achieving the county’s vision for a cleaner and more sustainable environment.
He said it demonstrates his government’s commitment to energy security through non-traditional means of power generation. “We see this as the first of its kind in Kenya, with more to follow. We will be utilising waste as a resource and working as a team to provide employment and technological advancement in the region,” he said.
Three large plants, a waste sorting plant, a synthesis gas plant and a power generator plant will be constructed. The investors said they only require 12.36 acres of land with proper road access and connection to the national grid and additional land to cultivate plants.
– The Star
