Why the Kenyan government is not happy with the booming solar business

The government has unveiled a raft of measures aimed at streamlining the solar energy sector and in the long run rescue Kenya Power from losses.

This is a solar power plant in Garissa. It is the largest grid connected solar power plant in East & Central Africa. Photos by @folklore_ltd pic.twitter.com/brWNxhJv0l

— Kenya Pics (@kenyapics) November 24, 2020

Through the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), the government has come up with proposals aimed at ensuring that quality solar gadgets are imported.

“Self-regulation can therefore be realized if all the players can agree to some code of practice which will ensure that only quality solar PV components and systems are imported, retailed and installed,” EPRA stated

Among the regulations include requirements that solar technicians and contractors must acquire licenses at a fee with technicians paying between ksh 2250 to ksh 6000 while contractors will pay between ksh 3000 to ksh 6000.

The licences will be renewable after every three years failure to which they will have to pay penalties of up to ksh 10000.Moreso, both the technicians and contractors should have insurence covers for the licences of over ksh 10 million before Commissioning a project.EPRA also set up education qualifications for all technicians. SPW1 contractors must have completed primary school and have sat the KCPE exams. SPW2 must have sat the KCSE exams, have a certificate in Electrical and ElectronicsThis comes at a time Kenya Power recently confessed that it’s facing challenges in connections as many companies have opted to install solar energy.

The move by EPRA therefore is seen by many observers as a last ditch effort to save Kenya power.

The new move by EPRA hasn’t been received well by kenyans with a majority castigating the government for the punitive policy that is likely to slow down solar energy development in the country.