The 'Energy Mix' in Kenya

According to the most recent statistics from International Energy Agency (IEA), Kenya's total energy consumption has increased by 30 percent from 14 259 ktoe (thousand tonnes of oil equivalent on a net calorific value basis) in 2001 to 20 179 ktoe in 2011. Kenya's energy consumption per capita has risen from 0.44 tonnes of oil equivalent (toe) in 2001, to 0.48 toe in 2011. This is slightly higher than neighbouring Tanzania at 0.45 toe per capita in 2011,, and Mozambique at 0.43 toe. To put this in perspective, total energy consumption for the UK in 2011 was nearly ten times that of Kenya's at 188 074 ktoe, and a per capita consumption of 3.0 toe.

The main source of energy consumption in Kenya is biofuels and waste such as firewood, making up 72 percent of the total consumption. A further 19 percent came from oil and 6 percent from geothermal and solar energy. 72 percent of Kenya's electricity was produced by geothermal and solar energy, with the remainder coming from oil and hydroelectric power.

In 2011 Kenya produced a total of 16 202 ktoe of energy. 90 percent of this came from biofuels and waste, 8 percent from geothermal and solar and 2 percent from hydroelectric power. Although oil has recently been discovered, Kenya currently produces no energy through fossil fuels of its own. However, the IEA figures show that Kenya imported 4791 ktoe or 24 percent of its energy in 2011: 1781 ktoe from crude oil, 2772 ktoe from other oil products and 234 ktoe from coal and peat. Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows that in 2012, Kenya consumed an estimated 81 450 barrels of oil per day. The largest oil refinery in the region is in Mombasa, with a capacity of 90 000 barrels per day (bbl/d). Most of Kenya's oil comes from the Middle East, with 33 000 bbl/d coming from the United Arab Emirates in 2011. As the Mombasa refinery generally operates below capacity, Kenya also imports 51 000 bbl/d of refined oil in 2011. Now that oil exploration in Kenya is underway, Kenya's energy mix may soon change. Tullow estimates that Kenya could be a net exporter of oil by 2016. There is also a project to build a nuclear power plant by 2017.

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