Kenya Bets on Geothermal Power to Build the World’s First Green Fertiliser Plant

By Esther Murigi

Kenya is setting a new start in the race toward sustainable agriculture and clean energy. The East African nation has announced plans to establish the world’s first green fertiliser plant powered entirely by geothermal energy.

By doing this, it will mark a bold step toward reducing carbon emissions, cutting import costs, and boosting food security.

The project, to be developed in the Rift Valley region, will use Kenya’s geothermal resources to produce ammonia and nitrogen-based fertilisers without relying on fossil fuels.

Instead of using natural gas a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, the plant will use renewable geothermal steam to power electrolysers that generate hydrogen from water.

This hydrogen will then combine with nitrogen from the air to produce fertiliser in a fully green process.

According to the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, Kenya’s geothermal potential is estimated at over 10,000 megawatts, of which only about 950 MW has been developed so far, mainly at the Olkaria fields in Naivasha.

The government now hopes to channel part of this clean energy into powering industrial processes such as fertiliser production.

Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir said that by using their  renewable geothermal resources, they will produce fertiliser that is entirely carbon-free, reduce their  dependence on imports, and create job opportunities

Kenya currently imports more than 70 percent of its fertiliser, exposing farmers to worldwide price shocks and supply chain disruptions.

In 2022 and 2023, fertiliser prices in Kenya more than doubled following the Russia–Ukraine conflict, which disrupted international ammonia supplies.

As a result, many smallholder farmers were forced to cut back on fertiliser use, leading to lower yields and rising food prices.

By producing fertiliser locally using clean energy, Kenya hopes to stabilise prices, support farmers, and improve agricultural productivity.

The project aligns with Kenya’s Vision 2030 and its Climate Change Act, which commits the country to reducing carbon emissions by 32 percent by 2030.

It also supports President William Ruto’s  push for a just energy transition and Africa’s leadership in climate innovation.

The green fertiliser project is being developed in partnership with the Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen), which operates most of the country’s geothermal plants, and international technology firms specialising in hydrogen and ammonia production.

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and several European investors have expressed interest in supporting the initiative.

KenGen Managing Director Abraham Serem said the company is already conducting feasibility studies at Olkaria and Menengai, where geothermal steam is readily available.

The first phase of the project, expected to begin construction in 2026, will produce around 200,000 tonnes of green fertiliser per year, with expansion plans to reach one million tonnes annually by 2030.

Experts say the move could save Kenya billions of shillings in annual fertiliser imports and reduce its carbon emissions by up to 1.5 million tonnes per year.

The project will also create new opportunities for local engineers, technicians, and small businesses that support the renewable energy and agricultural sectors.

In addition to reducing emissions, the project will help conserve Kenya’s natural resources by lowering dependence on fossil fuels and cutting pollution linked to traditional fertiliser production.

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The Author is Esther Murigi certified Broadcast Journalist