NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov – 10 – The Bomas International Convention Centre (BICC) is expected to generate 3.5 megawatts of electricity from solar panels installed on its roof.
The solar system will provide power to the convention centre in Nairobi, which is being built to host international conferences, exhibitions and diplomatic meetings.
Acting Bomas of Kenya Chief Executive Officer Jimmy Okidiyang said the system would include battery storage to support the facility’s power needs.
He said the electricity would initially be used within the BICC complex, which is designed to accommodate up to 11,000 people.
The facility will have five main sections: an auditorium, convention hall, ballroom, meeting rooms and a presidential area. These spaces will require electricity for lighting, air conditioning, communication and conference equipment.
Kenya Defence Forces project officer Lieutenant Colonel Wilfrida Amondi said the building’s design was inspired by the acacia tree. Its flat roof provides space for installing the solar panels.
The project also includes connections to electricity, water, sewer services, fibre-optic networks and improved roads.
Okidiyang said discussions were ongoing with government agencies on arrangements for distributing the electricity generated by the solar system.
The convention centre is the first phase of a larger development that will include commercial facilities, hotels and a sports arena with a proposed capacity of 20,000 people.
At the time of the interview, construction was 55 per cent complete, with about 1,800 workers on site.
The solar installation is expected to reduce reliance on other sources of electricity and support the centre’s operations when it opens.
