Enel Green Power partnered with microgrid solution provider Powerhive to invest US$12 million in building and operating mini-grids in 100 Kenyan villages. The partnership is to accelerate Kenya’s clean energy development.

Powerhive is a microgrid solution provider and developer funded in 2011 with supports from First Solar. The company headquarters in California and has offices in Nairobi and Manila. Its proprietary technology platform and business model enables the development, financing, and management of bankable solar microgrids in emerging markets.

The co-investment was 93% borne by Enel Green Power and 7% borne by Powerhive. Powerhive will develop a total of 1MW capacity of solar systems with mini-grid technology in the Western part of Kenya, in the Counties of Kisii and Nyamira. 100 facilities such as health clinics and schools will be benefitted from the mini-grid solar systems so that they will be able to use productive equipment and offer critical community services.

Powerhive CEO Chris Hornor commented, "Emerging markets will require major investments in off-grid energy access during the next decade, and this partnership - which combines Powerhive's proven mini-grid solutions with Enel Green Power's capacities as a market leading renewables company - is a blueprint for meeting that unserved energy demand."

Powerhive is the first private utility in the history of Kenya to obtain a concession to generate, distribute, and sell electricity to the Kenyan public. The mini-grid solutions will play an important role in Kenya’s electricity infrastructure for next decades, which will supply the people who live in areas without power access with reliable and scalable future energy.