Home Eastern Africa Bamburi Cement adopts solar power to reduce energy usage

Bamburi Cement adopts solar power to reduce energy usage

by Radarr Africa
Bamburi Cement adopts solar power to reduce energy usage

In a bid to reduce the cost and the impact of electricity outages in the main grid, Bamburi Cement plans to source a portion of its power supply from solar plants

The company said that it has entered into a power purchase deal with MOMNAI Energy Limited to build two solar facilities near its Mombasa and Nairobi factories.

The plants will be built by the independent electricity producer, with Bamburi buying directly from it.

Bamburi’s Mombasa plant is expected to generate 14.5 megawatts, while the Nairobi factory will generate five megawatts.

This will provide 40 per cent of Bamburi’s total electricity.

The partial switch to solar is likely to reduce the Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed company’s annual electricity expenditure by 10%, or more than Sh600 million.

In 2020, it spent Sh6.04 billion on power and alternative energy sources including rice husks and other waste materials like tyres and oil in its operations.

After East Africa Breweries Plc (EABL) unveiled a Sh22 billion investment plan in renewable energy last year, Bamburi will be the next large factory to shift to solar.

“We are elated to be making this step towards switching to more affordable and clean energy that will not only lead to a significant reduction in power costs but also bring us closer to our goal of achieving Net Zero carbon emissions,” said Miriam Ngolo, Bamburi’s strategy and business development director.

The move comes at a time when more consumers are ditching the national electricity distributor Kenya Power following an outcry over high bills and erratic supply.

The government recently gazetted a 15 per cent cut on electricity tariffs in a bid to address the high power bills. Large commercial users got Sh2.5 cut per unit during peak hours and Sh1.25 during off-peak.

Construction of Bamburi’s solar power plant will begin at the end of this year after requisite regulatory approvals and the project is expected to be completed within a year.

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