Spatial Data Starter Kit for OnSSET Energy Planning in Kitui County, Kenya.

Area of Science:

• Energy Planning
• Spatial Analysis
• Data Science

Background:

• Kenya's 2019 Energy Act mandates county-level energy planning.
• Data availability and readiness are crucial for effective energy planning.
• Openly available data needs evaluation for county energy planning tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify, evaluate, and pre-process openly available data for county energy planning.
• To provide a ready-to-use data starter kit for the Open Source Spatial Electrification Tool (OnSSET) in Kitui County.
• To offer guidance for replicating this data assessment in other Kenyan counties.

Main Methods:

• Data identification and evaluation based on availability, accessibility, recency, accuracy, spatial resolution, and format.
• Classification of data readiness using a traffic light scale (green, amber, red).
• Pre-processing of identified data for use with the OnSSET tool.

Main Results:

• Of 25 core OnSSET data inputs for county-level analysis, 14 were rated 'green', six 'amber', and five 'red'.
• Data processing requirements were documented.
• Processed data for Kitui County were compiled into a ready-to-use format for OnSSET.

Conclusions:

• A significant portion of data required for county energy planning is readily available or can be processed.
• The methodology and processed data for Kitui County serve as a replicable model for other counties.
• Addressing data gaps and processing needs is essential for successful implementation of the 2019 Energy Act.