Kenyan Photovoltaic Industry

The Kenyan photovoltaic industry (PDF)"...provides a low-cost model for sustainable, private sector–based off-grid rural electrification Some 120,000 solar photovoltaic systems for household use (lighting,radio, or television) have been sold in Kenya since 1990,and in 1992–98 the market grew by more than 20 percent a year...Most buyers are rural, middle-class households that lack confidence that the power grid will be extended, are knowledgeable about photovoltaic system performance, and want to make existing battery systems less maintenance intensive. Local entrepreneurs have played a key role in the process by aggressively moving photovoltaic systems to market and by downsizing the product to the needs of the lower-income market..." The conditions this industry faced in Kenya include "...A strong entrepreneurial class. Many components of photovoltaic systems—including batteries, lights, and cables—were already sold by traders before the industry took off. This made it easier for small-scale traders to enter the market. A good flow of customer feedback to importers, wholesalers, and retailers of photovoltaic products has developed. This has helped the industry to respond to new customer demand for smaller, lower-cost systems. And the modular nature of photovoltaic technology has allowed customers to add a module when their energy needs require and budget permits..."Emulating the Kenyan success across Africa with local adjustments could provide the basis for an industry whose growth could approach that of the cellphone industry.