KENYANS MOVE TOWARDS SOLAR POWER SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS

Posted on : Thursday , 4th April 2019

Kenya is actually the world leader in the number of solar power systems installed per capita. More Kenyans are turning to solar eco power every year rather than making connections to the country's electric grid. due to a number of challenges that they face when they are connected to the national grid. 

First and foremost the national grid includes high cost of buying power from Kenya power. This has necessitated the need for regulations in the sector which has increased the solar power installations.

In 2012 the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) came up with the enactment of energy (Solar Photovoltaic Systems) regulations 

These regulations came about as a consumer protective measure to ensure that low quality solar products and poorly trained or unqualified technicians do not infiltrate the market. The regulations required that  all ERC licensed personal only be allowed to design , install, manufacture, sell and distribute solar PV systems, the vendor will be completely liable if any faults in design and specification of complete solar PV system, except  in situations where customers purchase individual system components from different vendors in which case they shall be indicated in the signed system declaration  that they do not require the said design or specification from vendor or contractor. A list of licensed technicians and contractors is provided on the ERC website.

Solar is mainly utilized for photovoltaic systems in the country these are used for telecommunications, lighting and cathodic protection of pipelines. Solar is also used for drying and water heating

Furthermore we have seen more and more factories install solar panels on their rooftops to counter against, the cost of buying power from the grid and also mitigating against the instability of the grid since power fluctuations are a regular feature of the Kenyan industrial and residential landscape.

As compared to an expensive diesel powered generator that causes disturbances in Kenya’s game parks, we have also seen an appetite for solar products from remote high end - exclusive game lodges, a solar powered plant would be the exact opposite and not affect the lodge's operations