NAIROBI, Kenya, July 26 – The Director General of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has been nominated to lead a 13-member steering committee of the Regulatory Energy Transition Accelerator (RETA) as Chair.
Kiptoo will oversee a team that works with energy regulators to facilitate knowledge sharing, peer-to-peer learning, and thought leadership on regulatory issues necessary to accelerate the transition towards clean energy.
The DG said that EPRA would utilize the position to enhance its knowledge on global best practices on clean energy capabilities, from geothermal energy exploration, battery energy storage systems, and wind energy to promoting nationwide adoption of electrical mobility.
“EPRA is committed to steering the adoption of renewable energy from generation to end-use in Kenya. We have been fostering information exchange and establishing a sound regulatory framework to pave the way for clean energy adoption. Through RETA, we can collectively share knowledge and resources to expedite clean energy transition for a sustainable future for all,” he added.
On RETA’s steering committee, EPRA, now in its second term on the global body, is joined by Cameroon’s Electricity Sector Regulatory Agency (ARSEL), together with energy regulators ARESEP of Costa Rica, CRE (France), ERC (North Macedonia), and ERC (Thailand).
Others are NURC (St. Lucia), OEB (Ontario, Canada), and Ofgem from Great Britain, with the World Bank, the International Renewable Energy Agency, and the International Energy Agency being permanent members.
Kenya has heavily invested in its transition to renewable energy, with the period 2023/24 registering 84.93 percent of energy supplied to Kenya’s national grid being obtained from renewable energy sources.
Geothermal energy maintained its dominance, meeting 44.55 percent of the total energy generation, with hydro and wind generation accounting for 22.54 percent and 14.30 percent, respectively.
Additionally, utility-scale solar generation contributed 3.54 percent to the country’s overall energy needs. The government aims to achieve a 100 percent clean energy transition by 2030.
RETA’s priority areas are promoting flexible, renewable-based systems, regulatory frameworks to deliver the energy transition, network planning for wide-scale electrification, regional interconnection, and a fair and inclusive energy transition.
