In February this year, a four-day stakeholders’ workshop was held in Kenya. The purpose of the meeting was to train the National Energy Planning Committee that comprised of representatives from the national and county governments on the Integrated National Energy Plan (INEP).

Integrated energy planning has the potential to bring big benefits to communities, governments, and investors. This will ensure energy is a true enabler of sectors and livelihoods. To guarantee the full benefits of energy services, more inclusive and integrated approaches are needed, by involving different stakeholders in energy planning processes.

Energy is linked to 125 of the 169 Sustainable Development Goals targets. These includes increasing global percentage to renewable energy, double improvement in energy efficiency, halving greenhouse emissions by 2030, universal access to modern energy, promote access, technology and investment in clean energy.

INEP is an inter-governmental plan that is intended to guide Kenya’s energy sector on short, medium and long-term energy requirements based on evolving economic, socio-political and technical issues. The aim is to have a coherent and coordinated approach to meeting the country’s energy needs.

Once launched, INEP is expected to comprehensively cover all scopes of energy access, including households, productive uses and community facilities. It will also cover all forms of energy access such as electricity, cooking, heating, and mechanical power. And all feasible and appropriate means of energy provision for instance grid, mini grid and stand-alone.

Additionally, it is expected that the INEP will promote clean cooking as a top priority at national and county levels. It will champion electricity generation, transmission and distribution, energy access, energy resource assessment and development, bioenergy development and energy efficiency and conservation.