Kenyan 'Noxious Weed' Biomass Power Project Brings Multiple Community Benefits

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Written by Richard Finlayson, senior International Editor for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Kenya's first commercial biomass power project, which is to be constructed by Tower Power, will produce 11.5 megawatts (MW) and benefit the community in Marigat, Baringo county, in a number of other ways.

Tower Power is owned by Industrial Energy Africa Limited (Nairobi, Kenya) which is a joint venture (JV) between Manu Chandra's Comcraft Group (Nairobi, Kenya) and energy conglomerate Powergas International (Ruislip, England).

The feed for the $21 million plant will be the Prosopis Juliflora tree, known locally as Mathenge. The tree is invasive and is considered to be a noxious weed. Baringo has a Mathenge forest covering about 30,000 hectares, which could feed the new power plant for 10 years. The district has the highest density of the plant in the country. A 2007 survey reported that the tree had invaded 15 districts and covered a total area of 200,000 hectares. The tree provides good-quality fuel with one of the highest recorded calorific values, at about 500 calories per kilogram, and it burns well, even when freshly cut.

This will become a cash crop for the local community when 2,000 households start supplying the project with tree stems, clearing the noxious weed in the process. Baringo is negotiating with Kenya Power for a 20-year power purchase agreement. Biomass is said to be the second-cheapest source of energy at 8 U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), after geothermal power at 6.4 U.S. cents. Hydro and thermal come in at 12.5 cents and 10.2 cents, respectively.

The project has been permitted by the National Environment Management Authority, as Kenya aims to transform into a clean energy economy.

Tower Power is planning to build a second biomass plant in Kwale County, with an investment of $24 million. The fuel feed for this plant will be agricultural residue such as wheat and sisal waste. This project will earn carbon credits with an estimated carbon saving of 52,300 tons annually.

The Kwale plant will supply Comcraft Group power companies Mabati Rolling Mills and Kaluworks Limited. The group also plans to grow Mathenge on trust land in Kinango.

Tower is planning to raise 70% of the funds for the projects from local sources, with the balance coming from Powergas International.

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