Solarcentury joins with local Kenyan company to establish commercial PV offer for East Africa

Posted on : Wednesday, 21st January 2015

olarcentury (London, UK) has joined forces with local Kenyan company East African Solar to establish its solar photovoltaic (PV) business in East Africa.

The company has been active in East Africa from its Nairobi office since June 2013, headed up by Dr. Dan Davies, a founder of Solarcentury.

The new company combines Solarcentury’s British engineering excellence and experience of delivering, operating and maintaining solar PV installations with local industry experience and insight provided by solar industry expert Guy Lawrence, former CEO of East African Solar, the partners emphasize.

Lawrence, a successful local entrepreneur, was responsible for delivering Kenya’s first commercial solar system and is a regular industry commentator on solar, with international energy sector experience. A local team of seven will work alongside Davies and Lawrence to deliver solar projects throughout East Africa.

Growing government support for renewables in East Africa

“Since opening the office in Nairobi almost 18 months ago, we have made significant inroads into the solar market in Kenya, with two sizeable projects under our belts,” said Dr. Davies, Director of Solarcentury in East Africa.

“Government support for renewables in this region is growing – it’s encouraging that in Kenya, for example, the Government’s Kenya Vision 2030 recognises the opportunity for renewable energy to support economic growth and the need for the country to switch to more sustainable energy sources.”

Last year, Solarcentury completed a 1 MWp solar farm for Williamson Tea, a respected tea grower with a long heritage in Kenya. Solarcentury is also building the largest solar car port in East Africa for Garden City, a new retail complex in Nairobi.