New guidelines have been released to assist large and medium-sized institutions and manufacturers in Kenya in adopting energy-efficient practices.
This initiative follows a study by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), which revealed that businesses in Kenya lose billions annually due to power wastage.
In 2006, the Ministry of Energy, in partnership with the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), established the Centre for Energy Efficiency and Conservation (CEEC) to help reduce costs, enhance competitiveness, and promote environmental sustainability. The aim was to provide guidelines that could help companies save an average of 20% on their total energy expenses, along with specialized training on energy management.
The Energy Performance Benchmarking Study is currently being shared with industry stakeholders for feedback. This study aims to establish minimum energy performance metrics through the development of energy benchmarking models.
EPRA Director Daniel Kiptoo stated that once implemented, these benchmarks will enhance energy efficiency across targeted sectors and lower overall production costs. “Energy benchmarking is crucial for identifying inefficiencies in production processes and estimating potential energy savings,” he noted.
Kiptoo emphasized the importance of collaboration with industry players to develop energy performance models for seven key sectors: cement, sugar, tea, dairy, floriculture, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), and hospitality.
According to the study, flower farms could achieve electrical energy savings ranging from 0.5% to 21.8% with the adoption of these benchmarks. The cement sector, meanwhile, could save up to 3.68% of its total energy consumption over two years if the lower-performing factories improve their energy efficiency to meet the average benchmark.
Last year, large commercial and industrial users, who make up 51.99% of total energy consumption, used 2,706.62 GWh of electricity. This category includes high-voltage consumers and those with monthly usage exceeding 15,000 kWh, such as factories, warehouses, and major public infrastructure like airports and ports.
Domestic consumers followed, consuming 1,599.33 GWh (30.72% of total consumption), while small commercial enterprises used 843.04 GWh (16.19%). Street lighting accounted for 56.48 GWh (1.09%), and a new category for electric mobility reported a usage of 0.32 GWh (0.01%).
By implementing these guidelines, EPRA aims to increase the number of companies adopting carbon reduction measures to combat global climate change. Kiptoo added that this study presents an opportunity for EPRA to engage with industry players in creating tailored energy efficiency benchmarks.
Once established, these benchmarks will be used to audit the energy-saving measures of individual companies. Kenya already has two energy performance regulations: the Energy (Appliances’ Energy Performance and Labelling) Regulations 2016, which guide the testing and labeling of electrical appliances, and the Energy (Energy Management) Regulations 2012, which mandates energy audits for establishments consuming over 180,000 kWh annually.
Section 201 of the Energy Act 2019 requires EPRA to develop and enforce energy efficiency and conservation measures, set minimum energy performance benchmarks for major energy-consuming facilities, monitor compliance, and promote best practices in energy management.
