The European Investment Bank’s development arm, EIB Global, will help Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) expand and green its energy supply. EIB Global will advise KNH on the installation of a solar-power system.
The goal of the project is to meet growing demand for electricity at the hospital while increasing its energy independence and reducing its carbon footprint.
EIB Global will offer the assistance in partnership with German development agency (GIZ) through a grant of Ksh. 7.3 million (€50,000). The grant is from a multi-donor initiative run by the World Bank and EIB for cities, the Cities Climate Finance Gap Fund. The support will cover technical studies and a financial assessment regarding the planned installation of the photovoltaic (PV) system.
The hospital has a capacity of 2,400 beds and serves about 2 million patients annually. High grid costs in Kenya are straining the budget of the hospital and power outages are forcing it to rely on diesel generators that meet only about 65% of demand, leaving critically ill patients at risk.
“Our goal is a climate smart future,” said EIB Regional Hub for East Africa Head Edward Claessen. “We are committed to supporting Kenyatta National Hospital in its transition to green electricity. The forthcoming technical studies will lay the ground for successful implementation of the PV system.”
Under the support agreement, GIZ experts will carry out the technical and financial evaluations for implementation and maintenance of the solar-power system.
“We are grateful to the European Investment Bank, GIZ and the City Climate Finance Gap Fund for their support through this technical assistance programme,” said Kenyatta National Hospital Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Evanson Kamuri. “This collaboration marks a significant step forward in our commitment to sustainable healthcare delivery. By integrating energy efficiency and climate-smart solutions, Kenyatta National Hospital is not only enhancing operational resilience but also setting a benchmark for environmentally responsible healthcare infrastructure in the region.”
The EIB Global and GIZ support will lead to concrete recommendations to the hospital on attaining reliable and efficient power supply through the planned PV system. The studies will assess the hospital’s current energy-consumption patterns, evaluate the feasibility of integrating the planned PV system into the hospital power grid, provide financial modelling for installation and maintenance and address regulatory questions.