As the global climate change regime moves ahead towards 2020, there will be increasing investments related to climate change mitigation and adaptation in poor countries. Ensuring that the most adequate technologies are selected and that they are diffused and used in such a way that the outcome is better living conditions for the population is a major challenge.

This project studies two specific low-carbon technologies solar photovoltaic and wind power and it takes as its starting point the role international sources of knowledge can play for Kenya. It explores whether or not actors originating from China have the potential to provide particularly relevant low carbon technologies that bring benefits to the poor in Africa as compared to actors from Denmark and Germany. In particular, it focuses on the degree to which certain technologies create opportunities for more capability building in Kenyan firms and individuals involved in the sector.

Project activities include three PhD students (2 at Moi University in Kenya and 1 at Aalborg University in Denmark) studying the current status of Kenyan solar PV and wind innovation system trajectories in Kenya and externally; a series of in-depth case studies analysis of significant solar PV and wind power projects in Kenya; a series of surveys of the current state of the policy environment and; a database of technological capability building in solar PV and wind power projects in Kenya.

Current findings from the project are as follows:

1. Solar PV and wind sectors are fundamentally different in the approach policy actors and practitioners in the sector take towards them.  Small wind has until now been relatively neglected
2. It is possible to identify differences in the capability building trajectories that are likely between projects that have a significant involvement of Northern based actors and those projects with a significant involvement of Southern based actors
3. We have a working hypothesis at the moment, based on the data collected so far, that we are likely to see more capability building in the deployment chain i.e. during a solar PV or wind power project design, construction, operation and maintenance activities than through the manufacturing chain. 

Further details of the project can be found at: http://irekproject.net

IREK Publications

Throughout the duration of the research project the IREK research team will be working on a variety of outputs ranging from working papers and journal articles, survey reports and policy briefs to presentations of ongoing work at different stages of the project.

Journal Articles

• Hansen, U. E., Gregersen, C., Lema, R., Samoita, D., & Wandera, F. (2018). Technological shape and size: A disaggregated perspective on sectoral innovation systems in renewable electrification pathways. In Energy Research and Social Science. DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2018.02.012
• Lema, R., Hanlin, R., Hansen, U. E., & Nzila, C. (2018). Renewable Electrification and Local Capability Formation: Linkages and Interactive Learning. In Energy Policy. DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2018.02.011
• Lema, R., Rabellotti, R. & Sampath, P.G. (2018). Innovation Trajectories in Developing Countries: Co-evolution of Global Value Chains and Innovation Systems. In The European Journal of Development Research. DOI:10.1057/s41287-018-0149-0

Policy Briefs

• IREK policy brief, issue 1: Building capabilities in the wind and solar sector in Kenya, June 2017
• IREK policy brief, issue 2: Energy policies for enhanced capabilities and collaboration in Kenya’s solar and wind subsectors, March 2018

Working paper series

• Hansen, U. E. (2017). Mapping of Solar PV and Wind Energy Markets in Kenya: Current State and Emerging Trends (IREK Working Paper No. 1). Copenhagen/Nairobi/Eldoret: AAU, ACTS and MU.
• Hansen, U. E. (2018). The insertion of local actors in the global value chains for solar PV and wind turbines in Kenya (IREK Working Paper No. 2). Copenhagen/Nairobi/Eldoret: AAU, ACTS and MU.
• Wandera, Faith H. (2018). Applying the innovation systems framework to the study of the small wind turbine sector in Kenya: A review and research agenda (IREK Working Paper No. 3). Copenhagen/Nairobi/Eldoret: AAU, ACTS and MU.

Reports

• Tigabu, A. (2016). A desk assessment on the overviews of current solar and wind energy projects in Kenya (IREK Report No. 1). Copenhagen/Nairobi/Eldoret.
• Tigabu, A., Kingiri, A., Wandera, F. H., Hanlin, R., Andersen, M. H., & Lema, R. (2017). Capability development and collaboration for Kenya’s solar and wind technologies: analysis of major energy policy frameworks (IREK Report No. 2). Copenhagen/Nairobi/Eldoret.
• Hanlin, R., Kingiri, A., Tigabu, A., Lema, R., & Andersen, M. H. (2017). Collaboration and capabilities in Kenya’s wind and solar industries: perception of stakeholders (IREK Report No. 3). Copenhagen/Nairobi/Eldoret.

Briefing notes

• IREK Briefing Note No. 1, February 2015
• IREK Briefing Note No. 2, May 2016
• IREK Briefing Note No. 3, February 2017
• IREK Briefing Note No. 4, June 2017
• IREK Briefing Note No. 5, March 2018
• IREK Briefing Note No. 6, March 2018

Presentations:

• Mapping of PV and Wind markets in Kenya: Current state and trends, Ulrich Elmer Hansen, January 2017
• The IREK project conceptual framework, Rasmus Lema, February 2017
• IREK: a study of technology transfer in renewable electrification AND inclusive structural change in Kenya, Rebecca Hanlin, March 2017
• Global technology collaboration, innovation and local capabilitites in the Kenyan wind industry, Cecilia Gregersen, March 2017
• Seminar: Best Practices – way forward: Innovation and Renewable Electrification in Kenya, Margrethe Holm Andersen, September, 2017
• Renewable electrification and local capability formation: linkages and interactive learning, Rasmus Lema, April 2018
• Overview of major energy policy frameworks and capabilities, Faith Odongo, March 2018
• A case for capability and collaboration building in the renewable energy sector, Ann Kingiri, March 2018
• South-South technology transfer: the role of China in the renewable energy sector in Africa, Ulrich Elmer Hansen & Rasmus Lema, June 2018 

Read the original project proposal