Energy Policy in Kenya: Barriers to Electrification and Policy Solutions for More Equitable and Sustainable Grid Development

While Kenya has become a top-five world generator of renewable energy, the country's goal of universal electrification has not yet been realized. In line with UN sustainable development goal 7, access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all has been increasingly prioritized in the landscape of global development. Public policy and associated policy mechanisms are now regarded as the most effective means of achieving this goal. The two literature reviews of this thesis identify the most pressing barriers to electrification in less developed economies, as well as potential policy solutions. This structure was then applied directly to Kenya, allowing an improved understanding of the unique barriers to electrification and guiding policy mechanisms there. Seven of the most pressing barriers were outlined specifically as they exist in both the global context and Kenya. National policies guiding the Kenya electricity sector were then studied to understand government response to these barriers. Through this project, policy mechanisms used to bolster renewable energy generation in Kenya are better understood. This holds promise for such policy mechanisms to be replicated and improved upon in proliferating renewable energy elsewhere. Additionally, the policies guiding Kenya's electricity sector are characterized by their shortcomings in achieving universal access to electricity. This project identifies policy shortcomings and offers potential solutions in the Kenyan electricity sector. A newly informed perspective of this issue in the Kenyan context offers insight well beyond the countries of sub-Saharan Africa, to all nations currently struggling to achieve sustainable electricity access for all.