Business Insights Africa sat down with Dalmus Mbai, founder and CEO, safer Power Group. Excerpts.
Safer Power has been a leader in renewable energy solutions in Kenya, primarily solar and battery storage. Now, you’re announcing a major leap into green hydrogen production. Why this shift?
It’s not so much a shift as a natural evolution. For over a decade, Safer Power has been driven by one core mission: providing Kenyans with clean, reliable, and affordable energy while combating climate change. We’ve made strides with solar, but we see green hydrogen as the missing piece for truly decarbonizing sectors vital to Kenya’s growth – heavy transport, industries like fertilizer and cement, and even large-scale, stable power backup. Kenya has an abundance of the key ingredients: world-class solar and geothermal resources to power the electrolysis process, and water. Green hydrogen allows us to store this renewable energy in a versatile fuel cell, overcoming intermittency challenges and creating new economic opportunities.
What makes Kenya specifically suited for green hydrogen production?
Kenya is uniquely positioned, arguably one of the best places in Africa for this. First, our renewable energy profile is exceptional. We have vast solar potential across many regions and are already global leaders in geothermal energy, providing a stable, baseload renewable source – crucial for the energy-intensive electrolysis process. Second, we have significant freshwater resources like Lake Victoria and the potential for desalination using renewable power. Third, there’s growing domestic demand for clean industrial feedstock and fuel, coupled with strategic positioning for export markets looking to meet their own decarbonization targets, especially in Europe and Asia. Finally, Kenya has a strong policy environment supporting innovation in clean energy.
Can you briefly explain how Safer Power will produce this green hydrogen?
The core principle is simple but powerful. We’ll use electricity generated entirely from potentially partnered renewable sources – primarily large-scale solar PV farms and geothermal plants – to power electrolyzers. These machines split water molecules (H₂O) into hydrogen (H₂) and oxygen (O₂) using an electrochemical process. The hydrogen gas is captured, compressed, and stored. The “green” label is absolutely critical – it signifies the electricity used is 100% renewable, resulting in zero carbon emissions during production. This differentiates it fundamentally from “grey” hydrogen made from fossil fuels.
What are the primary applications you foresee for this hydrogen within Kenya initially?
Our initial focus is on creating tangible impact locally: Clean Industrial Processes, replacing fossil-fuel-derived hydrogen in fertilizer production crucial for our agricultural sector.
Powering fuel cell trucks and buses. This tackles a major urban pollution source – diesel freight and public transport – while reducing fuel import bills.
Power Generation & Grid Stability: Green hydrogen can be used in fuel cells to provide clean, dispatchable power, especially valuable during droughts affecting hydro or for stabilizing the grid with more variable renewables.
Export: While developing the domestic market is key, we see significant potential to export green hydrogen or derivatives like ammonia to international markets seeking clean energy carriers, generating vital foreign exchange.
This is a capital-intensive venture. How are you financing it, and what are the major challenges?
The upfront costs for electrolyzers and associated infrastructure are substantial. We’re pursuing strategic partnerships with international technology providers.
Challenges are significant but surmountable:
Building the production facilities, storage solutions (which can be complex for hydrogen), and initial distribution networks needs careful planning and investment.
While supportive, specific regulations and standards for green hydrogen production, safety, and transportation are still evolving in Kenya and regionally. We’re actively engaging with regulators.
Building domestic demand requires convincing industries and transport operators to invest in new technologies. Demonstrating clear cost-competitiveness over time is key.
We need to rapidly build local expertise in this new technology.
How will this venture benefit ordinary Kenyans in terms of jobs and economic growth?
The potential is immense: Direct jobs in plant construction, operations, maintenance, engineering, and R&D. Indirect jobs throughout the supply chain – from renewable energy construction to potential manufacturing of components and hydrogen logistics. We are committed to significant local hiring and skills transfer programs.
Providing local industries with clean, potentially cheaper hydrogen feedstock can make them more competitive domestically and internationally.
Decarbonizing transport and industry will significantly improve air quality in cities and industrial zones, leading to better public health outcomes.
Positioning Kenya as a leader in green hydrogen in Africa attracts further investment and innovation.
What’s your long-term vision for Safer Power in the green hydrogen space?
Our vision is for Safer Power to be the cornerstone of a thriving green hydrogen economy in East Africa. We aim to build a portfolio of large-scale production facilities powered by Kenya’s abundant renewables, serving robust domestic markets and becoming a reliable exporter. We want Kenya to be synonymous with high-quality, truly green hydrogen. Beyond just production, we see ourselves facilitating the entire value chain – including distribution solutions and supporting the adoption of hydrogen technologies by end-users. This is about energy sovereignty, industrial transformation, and placing Kenya firmly at the forefront of the global energy transition. It’s the next vital chapter in our mission for Safer Power.
