SkyPower and Kenyan Ministry of Energy and Petroleum has signed a landmark agreement to invest US$ 2.2 billion in the development of 1GW of solar projects at this year’s Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES 2015). This is a respond of President Obama’s advocacy: Entrepreneurship could support development in Africa.

Initiated by the U.S. government in 2010, the GES conference gathers entrepreneurs at all stages of business development, business leaders, mentors and high-level government officials to help increase support for innovators and job creators around the world. At this year’s GES conference, U.S.’s president Barack Obama and Kenya’s president H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta were both invited and witnessed the signing of the US$2.2 billion MOU for solar power development.

The Kenyan government has started developing renewable energy projects, while SkyPower’s support, the largest renewable plan in Kenya so far, is undoubtedly a strong support.

"SkyPower's US $2.2 billion investment will create more than 25,000 total job years in Kenya and includes 200 MW of fabrication and assembly facilities, as well as a commitment of US $173 million toward education, training, and research and development," said SkyPower Executive Vice President Charles Cohen.

SkyPower has a long history of working closely with local communities to produce hundreds of millions of kWh of clean electricity every year, while ensuring that those closest to the developments reap the rewards of new jobs, education, skills training and accessible energy.

(Photo Credit: GES 2015)