#geothermalpower

When William Ruto was sworn in as Kenya’s fifth president in September 2022, he used his inauguration speech to demand an end to humanity’s “addiction to fossil fuels” and reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to reach 100% clean energy by 2030. Kenya is not far off this target today.

In 2021, 81% of Kenya’s electricity generation came from the low carbon sources of geothermal, hydro, wind, and solar power. Over half of this low carbon electricity came from geothermal energy, which Kenya has in abundance. So much in fact, that excess geothermal energy is released during the night when electricity demand is low. Installed geothermal capacity in Kenya could be increased by at least eightfold, which could open opportunities for scaling up green manufacturing capacity or exporting excess electricity to neighbouring countries. 

Renewable rollouts have substantially improved energy access. In 2013, around 28% of Kenyans had access to electricity. By 2020, this had risen to over 71%. This was achieved as the population grew by over seven million over the same period, while the rate of urbanisation continued to gather pace. According to the World Bank, barely one million Kenyans had electricity in 1990 [which, back then, was approximately just 5% of the population]. 

Ruto’s words, and Kenya’s actions, are timely due to the backdrop they are made against. Amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the vacuum created in global energy markets, European leaders and multinational fossil fuel firms have launched a ‘dash for gas’ across Africa, where a raft of new oil and gas projects, as well as old ones, are being given the green light. At COP27, Ruto kicked back against the dash for gas, stating that “we [Kenya] have taken a position that as a country we are going green and we are well on course.”

The demand for resilient energy storage is reaching new heights as industries push into increasingly volatile environments where High Temperature Batteries are the only viable solution. The High Temperature Batteries market was valued at USD 659 Million in 2024 and is projected to grow to USD 1,329 Million by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.5% from 2025 to 2030. In 2026, the necessity for these power sources is driven by deep-geothermal exploration and advanced aerospace telemetry where standard lithium-ion cells would simply fail or become unstable. These specialized batteries utilize unique chemistries like sodium-sulfur or lithium-thionyl chloride to maintain peak performance even when ambient temperatures exceed 150 degrees Celsius. As global energy demands shift toward more complex extraction and exploration methods, the reliability of these thermal-resistant cells has become a cornerstone of modern industrial strategy.

The High Temperature Batteries market is currently witnessing a surge in European research initiatives aimed at stabilizing grid-scale energy storage. In 2026, many renewable energy projects are integrating molten salt batteries because they can store thermal energy and electricity simultaneously, providing a buffer for solar and wind farms. These systems are particularly valuable in arid regions where the infrastructure itself must withstand intense daytime heat. By focusing on longevity and safety, manufacturers are reducing the risk of thermal runaway, making these batteries a preferred choice for high-stakes utility applications and remote industrial sensors.