National Environment Trust Fund (NETFUND) and its partners in the Renewable Energy Working Group held Kenya’s first renewable energy awards gala on Thursday, 6th December 2018, at Southern Palms Beach Resort, Kwale County. NETFUND’s Board Chair, Hon. Rev. Moses Akaranga officiated the ceremony. During the event Counties, Journalists and Kenyan-based Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) whose innovations are reshaping the clean energy landscape in Kenya were recognized and awarded.

AWARDEES
The awardees were:
A. County category
- Winner-
Kitui County - 1st
runners up – Kisumu County - 2nd
Runners up- Turkana County
B. SMEs category
Clean c
- Winner-
Kenneth Ndua (Stamp Investments) - 1st
runners up – Dorothy Otieno (Nyalore Impact) - 2nd
Runners up- Teddy Kinyanjui
Clean cooking fuels
- Winner-
Elana Laichena (Acacia Innovations, trading as Kuni Safi). - 1st
runners up – Raymond Chepkwony (Sistema Bio) - 2nd
Runners up- Arwa Richard Ochieng (CIST Africa)
C. Journalists category
- Winner-
Neville Otuki (Energy Siren News) - 1st
runners up – Leopold Obi (science journalist) - 2nd
Runners up- Milliam Murigi (People Daily Newspaper)
Access more information on the Nominees here.

Each category of the awards had a unique selection criterion developed by
expert judges. Winners were picked according to the following
criteria;
- Counties:For their leadership in prioritizing and implementing innovative
renewable energy initiatives at the county level. - SMEs: For their contribution
in developing and promoting affordable and viable renewable energy cooking technologies/products/services athousehold level. - Journalists: For their efforts in creating awareness about renewable energy through media (print, electronic, social media).
The award gala was a finale of a two-day capacity building workshop under the theme ‘Energy Planning and Programming for Impact’. This workshop also provided a platform for county officials from the environment and the energy sectors together with other stakeholders to build the capacity of the counties for improved energy access. The forum focused on the use of clean cooking technologies at the household level, public-private partnerships and energy governance.
The Renewable Working Group comprises representatives from the Government of Kenya, Council of Governors, Groots Kenya, Bio-Net, African Centre for Technology Studies, African Research Consortium, Clean Cookstoves Association of Kenya, Energy Regulatory Commission, Kenya Industrial Research & Development Institute (KIRDI), Practical Action, In Power Kenya, Stockholm Environment Institute, World Wildlife Fund, among other institutions.