Very well put arguments.

From the letter from the CEO of EPRA, they will have public consultations on 11th of December. Maybe Immaculate, The EPRA Principle Communications Officer can tell us how the public consultations will be done. Online (link), physical, etc.

Attached is the public consultation feedback form, and the draft regulations. 

We need a volunteer to collect the recommendations from this group and submit on our behalf. Any takers?

______________________
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https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwendwa-kivuva


On Mon, 30 Nov 2020 at 22:26, Twahir Hussein Kassim via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
My thoughts...

Kenya Paraffin Lamps and Candles has failed Kenyans and Kenya  BIG TIME!

Regulations are necessary BUT they need to be in tune with reality! There are places in this country that were it NOT for solar or availability of generators then they would still be on TAA YA KIKOPO and KANDILI powered by kerosene. Needless to say, the health hazard they cause! Why would a well meaning government body be out to KILL what could be the ONLY OPTION for Wanjiku to get clean power?

I think it is VERY IMPORTANT that we reach out as we have to the senate and national assembly to ensure such back word monopolistic regulations don't see the light of day!

If we just reflect back to the laptop project, we will note that part of the problem that has compounded the failure of the digital devices emanates from poor power supply. 

Attending Africa IGF last week, one thing that was echoed almost by across the continent was the need for community networks as the best option to get Africa connected. Connection means powering devices. If this were to be left to KPLC, I would suggest we start innovating on devices that can be powered by CANDLES! 

Let's make some noise heard.

Regards
THK

On Mon, Nov 30, 2020, 7:47 PM Keith Andere via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
Mwenda,

Energy and particularly sustainable energy remains a very critical factor in the recovery of economies post covid19, as well as the development of the world. This is anchored on the goal 7 of the SDGs. 

As we speak of regulation, I recognise that there has been some tremendous innovation around renewable energy. Solar power has since moved from unified systems but is modular. In the sense power is generated at the end use point. Think about IoT Sensors on the farms or the success story MKopa solar lights that are now powering home-learning village editions. Gaps that main grid electricity cannot address without additional infrastructure.

Solar systems, installations and backup solutions have been in existence, looking at the existing regulations and certifications by kebs currently by KEBS would be a good place to start.

The find that the adoption is moving fast towards plug and play solar powered devices, eg. CCTV, alarms, radio and mobile chargers, or the solar powered COVID19 Sanitizing stations. It is because of the same energy costs and reliability that makes manufacturing of these products and others very expensive, pushing away investors to neighbouring countries.

Kenya boasts as being one of the leading countries in the world in production of renewable energy and really lobbied for the adoption of COP21 Agreement in France, Just this year the President made a pronouncement to have solar energy harvest on a farm in Nakuru to be sold to the main grid. 

Creating many bottlenecks for innovation around technical skills compounds an already bulging problem. That of job creations and skill development.

On Mon, Nov 30, 2020 at 1:41 PM Mwendwa Kivuva via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
Great conversations here.

If we were to engage The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), what would be our recommendations? 

We cannot escape regulations on the energy sector. Perhaps a good start would be to put less barriers. For example, if I am qualified as a solar technician, why punish me with exorbitant licenses instead of supporting me to help connect more households and businesses to the grid? The benefits for the government where electricity is inexpensive far outway the stifling measures EPRA is recommending. Such benefits include less funding to the grid by the public, more tax revenue from more industries and businesses established, better educated population (electricity is now an important component for education), ... The spiral effect of affordable energy would touch every sector of our economy

I

______________________
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On Mon, 30 Nov 2020 at 09:24, Kelvin Kariuki via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
I cannot overemphasize what Barrack and Keith have stated above. I teach online classes at a public university and I have observed, together with some colleagues, that we get a slightly less than 50% turnout per session with students claiming challenges ranging from:
1. Lack of Device
2. Lack of Electricity
3. Power Loss
4. Lack of Network/Internet Connection

A sustainable digital economy can only be powered with green energy! With striffling green energy, we will continue to struggle to give life to the futuristic "Silicon Savannah"! 

On Mon, Nov 30, 2020 at 6:42 AM Beryl Aidi via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
This is hardly surprising after Kenya Power recently raised alarm over the rising switch to solar energy according to this report.  https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/bd/corporate/companies/kenya-power-raises-alarm-over-clients-solar-switch--3204410 
While the growth of the sector is good given the advantages of solar energy and even the fact that Kenya is right on the Equator so we get a good amount of solar exposure, some regulation is necessary to ensure safety standards. However it is appalling that the proposed measures are stifling and seem geared toward keeping the monopoly of KPLC. It's a shame and really uncalled for, if not absolutely absurd given the inefficiency of KPLC. The government should be encouraging growth in the energy sector rather than stifling it. 

Beryl Aidi

On Sun, Nov 29, 2020 at 10:58 PM Keith Andere via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
Listers,

I do agree with you Barrack that the time is ripe. During Kenya IGF as well as the recently concluded African IGF, Unreliable/Expensive/unconnected Electricity at last mile came out as a consistent enabler for powering digital inclusion and by extension digital transformation.

This therefore, is an opportunity to move forward with speed.

Regards 
Keith.

On Sun, 29 Nov 2020 at 20:22, Barrack Otieno via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
Flipping the coin and looking at the role Solar can play in powering Community Networks, looks like an opportunity is ripe for engaging EPRA, Senate and Parliament. This is a key infrastructure issue that can affect the cost of deploying critical infrastructure @Mwendwa Kivuva 

Regards

On Sun, 29 Nov 2020, 11:43 am John R. Gicharu via kictanet, <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
The chances are that if nobody rigorously campaigns/ lobbies against these regulations, parliament will pass them as gazzetted by EPRA.

Regards, John Gicharu


On Sunday, November 29, 2020, 08:20:45 AM GMT+3, John Kariuki via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:


There is no technical or legal Justification for discriminating one electrical technician from another. The regulations should therefore not be substantially different from the existing ones. I am not aware of any university which trains technicians per se. That requirement is therefore superfluous. Fortunately, regulations these days require approval of Parliament and these ones should be considered "dead on arrival". 

John Kariuki 

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

On Sun, Nov 29, 2020 at 0:14, Alice Munyua via kictanet
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