By Eddah Waithaka
Global solar experts today identified Kenya’s current power crisis as a catalyst for rapid solar adoption, while naming a clear regulatory hurdle that could unlock the country’s full clean energy potential.
Speaking ahead of the Intersolar Africa 2026 exhibition, Georg Pflomm, Project Manager Energy at AHK Eastern Africa, stated that solar power presents the fastest, cheapest solution to Kenya’s ongoing load-shedding.
“From 6 to 10 in the evening, some people do not get electricity because there’s just not sufficient electricity available,” Pflomm said, directly addressing the national challenge. “To increase power generation capacity quite quickly, solar is probably the best option.”
He highlighted solar’s plunging costs and rapid deployment time projects can be completed in months versus years for geothermal or hydro plants as decisive advantages.
However, Pflomm pinpointed a critical gap, the lack of a clear national framework for energy storage is slowing progress.“Solar has one challenge, which is intermittency. This challenge can be overcome with storage,” he explained.
“The main challenge lies in the fact that Kenya is still developing a framework for how energy storage can be managed, how it can be paid for. This mechanism is not yet fully developed.”
He stated that this regulatory uncertainty makes developers hesitant, delaying projects that could pair solar panels with batteries to provide stable, evening power.
Beyond the grid, Pflomm championed solar home systems as the most effective tool for achieving near-universal electricity access in Kenya. “The easiest and cheapest way to go are solar home systems,” he said, noting they can power homes and crucially, boost local incomes.
“You can use solar to cool fish at Lake Victoria so that it lasts longer cool fresh produce irrigate farms,” he said, outlining a vision for productive, village-level solar use that creates wealth.
While acknowledging that Egypt and South Africa lead in large-scale solar plants, Pflomm positioned Kenya as a continental pacesetter in a different sector.
“Where we see a lot of growth in Kenya is the commercial industrial sector. Kenya is one of the market leaders.”
The insights frame the upcoming Intersolar Africa 2026 event in Nairobi as a crucial meeting point to solve these specific market challenges.
The exhibition and conference, set for 3-4 February at the Sarit Expo Centre, will bring global storage experts, financiers, and policymakers together with local developers to accelerate solutions for Kenya and the region.
