KenGen unveils first battery storage system to power data center

The newly installed 1.16 megawatt-hour (MWh) BESS will serve the company’s 52-kilowatt Modular Data Center (MDC) at its head offices in Nairobi, a facility comprising 356 U-spaces to support KenGen’s growing digital infrastructure. 

In a statement on Tuesday, KenGen said that the storage system is designed to guarantee stable electricity even during periods of low grid demand, underscoring the role of battery technology in enhancing energy resilience.

KenGen’s Managing Director and CEO Eng. Peter Njenga said that the move marks a significant step toward a low-carbon, digitally resilient future, marking a new frontier in Kenya’s long-term green energy strategy.

“By integrating battery storage into our data infrastructure, we are not only reducing our carbon footprint but also showcasing how energy utilities can lead in sustainable innovation,” he said at the company’s Nairobi headquarters. 

The facility is expected to serve internal operations while providing a model for how utilities can use renewable storage to meet rising computing and connectivity demands.

KenGen said the launch comes as a key pedestal for its Good to Great (G2G) 2034 strategic blueprint, which targets the rollout of 500MWh of energy storage capacity over the next decade.

BESS is essentially a large-scale rechargeable battery that can store energy when it's abundant, often from renewable sources like solar or wind, and then release it when needed, like during peak demand or power outages.  

It offers multiple advantages, among them improved grid stability, energy independence, cost efficiencies, and seamless backup capabilities.

They play a crucial role in integrating renewable energy sources by storing excess energy produced during off-peak hours or when the sun isn't shining or the wind isn't blowing. 

When electricity enters the BESS, it is converted into chemical energy and stored within the battery cells. This involves ionic movement between electrodes within the battery. 

An Energy Management System (EMS) monitors and manages the charging and discharging of the batteries, optimizing efficiency and battery life.

For power to be discharged, the stored chemical energy is converted back into electrical energy using a power conversion system (PCS) which converts the DC (Direct Current) from the batteries to Alternating Current (AC) power for use by the grid.

AC is less expensive and easy to generate than DC. AC can be transmitted across long distances without much energy loss, unlike DC.