By county diary
Kitui Coal Mining
Did you know The Coal deposits in Mui basin is worth 6.9 Trillion in one block,This amounts to two-years+ annual state budget in Kenya, just one County of Kitui! Who will help Kitui to extract these minerals? We have iron ore, cement deposits worthy billions.
” Are the energy authorities using the climate change “weapon” to deny Kitui coal a place in the power generation mix pie-chart?
It is a fact that global institutions and banks are shy about funding coal power projects, and this is why we have to look for creative ways to put Kitui coal on our energy map.
While the county diary sincerely and actively support climate change mitigation measures, we are also a pragmatist. We have often argued that Kenya has already fulfilled its global green obligations by having a huge fraction of its power generation from renewable sources (hydro, geothermal, wind and solar).
Kenya can therefore blend Kitui coal into national energy mix, and still be within its global green commitments. This is exactly what other countries (China, India) are doing.
If anything, Kitui coal should be replacing imported high carbon fuel oil used in thermal power generation, and also imported coal used in heavy industries. There is good reason to classify Kitui coal as a priority energy and industrial project of national interest to raise its profile. Specifically KenGen should play a role in a private-public partnership power generation joint venture.
Across the world, electricity generation licensing is an aspect mostly influenced by high level lobbying by generation sub-sector vested interests, and it is not any different here in Kenya. Local coal may be disadvantaged because it does not have an institutional agency to support and steward its development as is the case with geothermal, renewable energy and nuclear participants.
In summary, Kenya should be pragmatic about local coal and not be blinded by the green agenda, having directionally met its climate change mitigation obligations.
Finally, it is quite clear that the responsibility and initiative for local coal development lie squarely within the Mining Department.” think about it.
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