Ignite GlobalInternational
Kalacha Wind Farm · Marsabit County, Kenya

Fifty megawatts from the Turkana wind

A 50 MW onshore wind farm in the Chalbi Desert, with room to grow to 100 MW. It shares the wind corridor that drives Africa's largest wind farm and is ready for development partners.

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LAT 2.944082° N LON 37.123677° E DATUM WGS 84 MEAN WIND ≈7.9 m/s PREVAILING East-south-east TARIFF Kenya Feed-in Tariff
50MW
Planned capacity, with room to expand to 100 MW
7.9M/S
Average wind speed from 5 years of NASA satellite data
150GWH
Estimated net energy per year (P50, preliminary)
≈50KM
To the Sirima substation and Lake Turkana Wind Power
The site

A proven corridor. An open site.

Northern Kenya has some of the most consistent wind on the continent. A gap between the Ethiopian and East African highlands funnels a steady east-south-easterly wind across the Turkana basin. The same wind drives Lake Turkana Wind Power's 310 MW plant, about 50 km from our site.

Kalacha Wind Farm sits near the settlement of Kalacha, between Maikona and North Horr, on the edge of the Chalbi Desert, a 948 km² depression separated from Lake Turkana by a ridge rising to 700 m. The land is flat, open and very sparsely populated. The turbines are planned to stand along the ridge.

On 25 November 2015, Kenya's Ministry of Energy and Petroleum granted Ignite Global the expression of interest to develop the site under the Feed-in Tariff policy. The next milestone is a 20-year power purchase agreement with Kenya Power.

Project
Kalacha Wind Farm
Location
Kalacha, North Horr, Marsabit County
Coordinates
2.944082° N, 37.123677° E
Capacity
50 MW, expandable to 100 MW
EOI granted
25 November 2015 · Ministry of Energy & Petroleum
Grid
33 kV line to Sirima substation, ≈50 km
Offtake
Kenya Power (KPLC), 20-year PPA
Map of northern Kenya showing the Kalacha Wind Farm site at 2.944°N 37.124°E, about 50 km east of Lake Turkana Wind Power 36°E37°E38°E 4°N3°N2°N ETHIOPIA KENYA Lake Turkana PREVAILING ESE WIND CHALBI DESERT ≈ 50 km SIRIMA SUBSTATION LAKE TURKANA WIND POWER LOIYANGALANI NORTH HORR MARSABIT KALACHA WIND FARM 2.944°N · 37.124°E 50 KM
Northern Kenya · WGS 84Locations of the lake, towns and LTWP are approximate
The wind resource

Strong, steady, strongest at dusk

Pre-feasibility studies combined NASA MERRA satellite reanalysis with Vortex mesoscale modelling, processed in Windographer. Every study points the same way: this site has wind well above the level a commercial wind farm needs.

7.9m/s
Average wind speed
5-year NASA satellite analysis
≈43%
Capacity factor
Modelled at 100 m hub height
149.8GWh
Net energy per year, P50
After 12.45% system losses
≈3,750h
Full-load hours per year
Modelled at two turbine points
ESE
Prevailing direction
Strongest winds in the early evening
100m
Met mast height
Approved by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority

These are preliminary, modelled figures. Bankable figures will come from at least 12 months of measurement by the on-site met mast, which meets international standards.

Where Kalacha sits on the power curve

Typical wind turbine power curve: starts at about 3.5 m/s, reaches rated power at about 11.5 m/s, shuts down at 25 m/s. Kalacha's average wind speed of 7.9 m/s falls on the steep part of the curve. 0% 50% 100% 0 5 10 15 20 25 WIND SPEED (m/s) KALACHA MEAN ≈7.9 m/s cut-in rated power ≈11.5 m/s cut-out 25 m/s
A typical curve for the 2.3–3.2 MW turbines modelled in the pre-feasibility study. The turbine model will be chosen during the bankable feasibility study.

Grid connection

A 33 kV line of about 50 km, along existing roads, connects the farm to the Sirima substation near Loiyangalani. Sirima is on KETRACO's backbone line that already carries power from northern Kenya.

Grid study

A dedicated study will confirm the route, grid stability and any reactive-power equipment needed to meet the Kenya Grid Code.

Monitoring

A SCADA system at the substation gives 24/7 remote access to generation data for Ignite Global, Kenya Power and lenders.

Development progress

From approval to power

The approvals are in hand and the met mast is built. The next phase turns an approved site into a bankable project.

  1. Approval

    Expression of interest

    50 MW EOI granted under the Feed-in Tariff policy on 25 November 2015.

    Complete
  2. Pre-feasibility

    Site & wind analysis

    Site survey, satellite wind analysis, preliminary layout and a first community meeting in January 2016.

    Complete
  3. Permits

    Approvals

    Civil aviation approval for a 100 m mast, county government approvals and MoU, and an ESIA scoping report submitted to NEMA.

    Complete
  4. Measure

    Met mast

    Instruments imported from Germany and calibrated. Mast built locally, ready for installation and at least 12 months of measurement.

    In progress
  5. Bankability

    Studies & PPA

    Full ESIA, birds & bats and grid connection studies, then a 20-year power purchase agreement with Kenya Power.

    Next
  6. Build

    Construction

    EPC delivery by a wind contractor already shortlisted, followed by commissioning and a 20-year operating life.

    Next
Community & impact

Power where it's scarcest

Marsabit is Kenya's most sparsely populated county, and one of its least electrified. The Kalacha project is being built with the community, under a Memorandum of Understanding with the County Government.

3.6%of Marsabit households use electricity for lighting
92.6%of households cook with firewood
≈4people per km², Kenya's lowest population density (North Horr: ≈2)

Sources: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics; Marsabit County Integrated Development Plan

  • Since January 2016

    Landowners at the table

    We have met landowners and community leaders to explain the project's size, lifetime, construction, maintenance, jobs and CSR programme. Every meeting so far has shown positive support.

  • Now

    Local contractors first

    Contractors from Kalacha handle the met mast civil works, road construction, bush clearing and CSR projects agreed in the County MoU.

  • Construction & operation

    Jobs and skills

    We will hire locally wherever possible and train staff to maintain the wind farm for its 20-year life. Local lodging, food and building-material suppliers benefit too.

  • Planned

    Water and learning

    Programmes for water access and a renewable energy syllabus for local schools will be developed with the community.

Ignite Global International

Our mission: the cleanest electrical energy, at an affordable cost.

Ignite Global International (IGI) is a Kenyan independent power producer and the project company that holds the development rights to Kalacha Wind Farm. European and Kenyan specialist consultants support us on wind analysis, the ESIA, grid connection and met mast installation.

2013

Waste-to-energy

IGI began its IPP work with waste-to-energy bids in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.

2014

Focus on wind

After time and political risk in waste-to-energy, we switched to wind. IGI was incorporated in Nairobi.

2015

Kalacha 50 MW

The Ministry granted our onshore expression of interest for Kalacha, Marsabit County.

Today

Towards bankability

Approvals secured and met mast built. We are bringing in development partners and have an EPC contractor shortlisted.

Leadership

Hon. Luka K. Kigen

Chairman

Businessman with more than three decades in real estate and agribusiness. Elected to Parliament in 2007.

Brian K. Kigen

Chief Executive

Career airline pilot and IGI's founder. He led the company from waste-to-energy to onshore wind.

Timothy Keitany

Environmental Director

Environmental Studies graduate of Kenyatta University. He identified and surveyed the Kalacha site and leads the technical work.

Simon Githae

Finance & Development Director

Business developer with an MBA and a BA in Economics & Statistics, and 15 years of corporate finance and governance experience.

Offices
Headquarters

Nairobi, Kenya

476 Watermark Business Park, Ndege Road, Karen

North America

Oakville, Ontario

Our team member in Canada supports partners and financing in North America.

Investor pack

Let's build Kalacha together.

We welcome development finance institutions, equity investors, turbine suppliers and EPC partners. Qualified parties can receive the full investor pack under NDA.

  • Development-phase budget
  • Financial model & returns
  • Tariff, cost & yield sensitivities
  • EPC cost breakdown
  • Wind resource assessment
  • Permits & approval letters
  • ESIA scoping report & ToR
  • Company & shareholding documents
Email admin@reinstrade.com Phone +254 733 232 888
Ignite Global International Ltd.
476 Watermark Business Park, Ndege Road, Karen
P.O. Box 9435-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
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