Kesses 1: How Solar is Energising Communities Across Kenya’s Great Rift Valley

Kenya continues to demonstrate its global leadership in renewable energy production. With over 90% of its electricity already sourced from renewables, the country is firmly on track to meet its national target of 100% renewable energy by 2030. Contributing to this progress is the Kesses 1 Solar Farm, located in the Great Rift Valley and developed by Alten Kenya Solarfarms B.V. The solar farm was registered with GCC on 1 January 2024.

Alten’s construction of this US$87 million facility was supported by investment from Standard Bank of South Africa, Stanbic, and the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF). Kesses 1 comprises of 161,000 solar modules with a total capacity of 46.8 MW, feeding directly into Kenya’s national grid. The project offsets an estimated 33,880 tonnes of CO2emissions annually and generates around 123,000 MWh of clean electricity — enough to power 245,000 Kenyan households each year. 

About Alten Kenya Solarfarms B.V.

A subsidiary of the Madrid-based Alten Energías Renovables Group, Alten Kenya Solarfarms B.V. has operated in Kenya since 2013. The company focuses on developing high potential solar sites to provide clean, reliable power while advancing national electrification and climate goals.

Clean Power for Growing Cities

The Great Rift Valley’s Eldoret — one of Kenya’s fastest-growing cities — is a hub for government, business, and education. With the population growing by 4.17% between 2024 and 2025, the city depends on accessible and reliable electricity to sustain development.

While energy access in Kenya has increased significantly — from 37% in 2013 to 79% in 2023 — challenges remain. Around 23% of generated electricity is lost due to ageing infrastructure, affecting cost and reliability.

To address this, Alten signed a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC), ensuring that 100% of the electricity from Kesses 1 flows into the national grid, improving grid stability and price certainty for homes and businesses across the region.

Delivering Long-Term Sustainable Impact 

Kesses 1 contributes to Kenya’s broader development goals, supporting progress across multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy: The project strengthens grid infrastructure and expands access to low cost, clean electricity through a Kenyan-owned utility.

• SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth: Kesses 1 created 400 jobs during construction and 15 permanent roles, building local skills and supporting economic growth.

• SDG 13 – Climate Action: Kenya’s consistent solar irradiance makes it ideal for solar generation. Projects like Kesses 1 are essential to closing the final 10% gap in the nation’s renewable energy transition.

As Jorge Hernández Moro, Alten’s Head of Asset Management, explains:

“Projects such as Kesses will push the country towards achieving 100% clean energy generation by 2030, helping sustain Kenya’s economic progress and accelerate recovery from pandemic-induced losses, global supply chain disruption, and rising inflation.”

Supporting Climate Action and Economic Recovery

Despite strong progress, Kenya’s economy is still recovering from COVID-19. GDP growth is expected to reach 4.9% in 2025, still below the 6.3% seen in 2018. Renewable energy projects like Kesses 1 are helping drive recovery and enhance energy security.

Transparent Certification with GCC

Since registering with GCC in January 2024, Alten Kenya Solarfarms B.V. has certified 118,823MWh of renewable energy, equivalent to powering 236,680 Kenyan homes.

By certifying their generated energy, Alten now have a verifiable single source of truth, offering transparent proof of their environmental impact and progress toward Kenya’s clean energy future.

Join leading projects like Kesses 1 in certifying your renewable energy. Contact us to learn how.