Investments in renewable energy are generally expected to deliver on three dimensions which are intrinsically linked to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals: Climate change mitigation, increased access to affordable and clean energy and economic development and job creation.
In this context, wind energy holds significant potential, especially in a developing country context challenged by energy insecurity, poverty and climate change. Even so, existing evidence of the socio-economic impact potential of wind farm developments has to date largely focused on high-income countries with less evidence on the potential advantages or disadvantages to developing countries with high-level of poverty concentrations. Further, existing studies have tended to focus on distinct parts of the equation rather than the sum of impacts generated by integrated wind farm developments with auxiliary investments in rural economies.
To facilitate further insights into the socio-economic impact potential of large-scale wind farm investments in a developing country context, Vestas, IFU, Finnfund and Norfund (hereinafter the Clients) have commissioned a preliminary study of some of the emerging socio-economic impacts from their investment in the Lake Turkana Wind Power project in Kenya (hereinafter the LTWP project).,…
