The Malindi solar power plant
According to its developer Globeleq, the Malindi solar project is a 52 MWp (40 MWac) solar PV plant in Langobaya, Malindi District, Kilifi County.
- Developers: Globeleq with its project partner Africa Energy Development Corporation (AEDC). Globeleq manages day-to-day operations. It describes the plant as one of the first independent power producer (IPP) owned utility-scale solar plants in Kenya.
- Size: approximately 157,000 solar panels.
- Buyer of the power: Kenya Power (KPLC), under a 20-year power purchase agreement.
- Timeline: construction was completed in 2021. The plant began exporting power to the national grid on 14 December 2021 and reached full commercial operation in January 2022.
The Garissa solar plant
The Garissa plant is a project of REREC, the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation, and is widely known as the 50 MW Garissa solar plant. REREC's project page gives these details:
- Location: Balambala Constituency, Garissa County, about 20 kilometres from Garissa Town.
- Installed capacity: 54.65 MW.
- Size: about 85 hectares (210 acres), with more than 206,000 panels of 265Wp each and 1,172 inverters of 42kW.
- Grid connection: a 5.7 km, 132kV transmission line to the KETRACO substation.
REREC describes it as the largest grid-connected solar power plant in East and Central Africa.
How a solar farm differs from solar on your roof
A solar farm and a home system use the same basic technology: silicon panels making DC, inverters turning it into AC. The differences are scale and purpose.
- No batteries, in most cases. Grid solar plants like these feed the national grid during the day. The grid, with hydro, geothermal and other sources, covers the night.
- Central inverters or many string inverters feed a substation, which steps the voltage up for long-distance transmission.
- Tracking and spacing. Large plants space their rows to avoid shading and may use trackers that follow the sun.
A home or business system is sized to its own load, often with batteries for the night and for blackouts. See the types of solar systems and commercial solar for systems built for one site.
Other solar power projects in Kenya
Beyond Garissa and Malindi, solar energy projects in Kenya range from smaller grid-connected plants and mini-grids serving off-grid towns, to large rooftop and ground-mounted systems at factories, farms, hotels, schools and hospitals. Many of these commercial systems are designed and installed by EPRA-licensed contractors, the same kind of companies listed on this directory.
Learn more about solar energy in Kenya, or check which companies hold the right EPRA solar licence before you hire one.
Solar for your own home or business
Grid solar helps the national supply, but it does not stop blackouts at your gate or lower your own KPLC bill. A system on your roof does both. Browse solar companies across Kenya or, if you are near the Malindi plant, solar companies in Malindi, and request quotes from up to 3 licensed installers.
