The government has come out to strongly condemn attempts by a section of Kenyans to bypass Kenya Power by utilizing energy from the sun without paying tariffs.
In a move seen by analysts as an attempt to cripple the giant state corporation, some Kenyans have taken to harnessing solar power in what is seen as sabotage to the economy.
But in a swift rejoinder, the government has come out guns blazing moving to enact a new set of laws aimed at bringing sanity to the energy sector.
In the Draft Energy (Solar Photovoltaic Systems) Regulations, 2020, Energy Regulator, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has set tough licensing and operational conditions for living in the solar system.
In the new regulations basking in the sun has been outlawed because it was found to contribute to global warming. “People who use sun to dry their clothes after washing them or farmers who dry their maize after harvesting will also be required to obtain a license” said ERPAs general manager.
Speaking in Murang’a during the launch of a Rural Electrification project, he said it was necessary to regulate the use of energy from the sun to avoid depleting it. “The sun generates energy from a process called nuclear fusion. During nuclear fusion, the high pressure and temperature in the sun’s core cause nuclei to separate from their electrons. Hydrogen nuclei fuse to form one helium atom,” he clarified, adding that we need to be careful because Hydrogen is a limited resource.
Farmers whose crops use the sun’s energy for photosynthesis are not spared either as they will now be required to obtain a permit and to pay a monthly fee. Under the new laws the Jua Kali sector will be renamed and the stakeholders will be required to operate at night. The use of grass for thatching houses will also be eliminated in a bid to limit the emission of greenhouse gases.
“With the enactment of these laws we hope to position Kenya as a competitive destination for foreign investors” added the managing director.
