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🇰🇪 Kenya Solar Calculator

Enter your KPLC bill and select appliances — get system size, panels, battery, and savings in KSh. Compare solar vs KPLC vs generator.

Your Kenya solar inputs
KSh
kW
Appliance builder
Kenya solar estimate
10 × 300W panels (3 kW system)
Recommended size for your usage: 1.7 kW
Daily usage (appliances)5.8 kWh/day
Monthly production402 kWh/mo
Inverter size3.6 kVA
Estimated system costKSh 270,000
Monthly savings vs KPLCKSh 5,000/mo
Annual savings vs KPLCKSh 60,000/yr
vs Generator (est.)KSh 17,391/mo fuel cost
Payback period4.5 yrs
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How to Use This Calculator

Enter your KPLC bill or select appliances

Enter your monthly Kenya Power (KPLC) bill in Kenya Shillings — the calculator converts this to kWh at KSh 23/kWh (the midpoint of KPLC's current KSh 22-25/kWh residential tariff). If you don't have a KPLC connection (off-grid rural areas), set the bill to 0 and use the appliance builder instead. The calculator uses whichever is higher — your bill-derived usage or your appliance-calculated usage.

Select your city and grid type

Select your nearest city — Mombasa and Malindi on the coast have Kenya's best solar resource (5.8-6.0 PSH); Eldoret in the highlands is slightly lower (5.0 PSH). Choose grid-tied if you have KPLC power and want to reduce your bill; choose off-grid if you have no grid connection or want complete independence. Off-grid systems include battery sizing for 2 days autonomy.

Use the appliance builder

Check the appliances you use daily. The calculator uses standard Kenyan usage hours: fridge runs 24 hours; iron runs 1 hour/day; water pump runs 2 hours/day; others run 8 hours/day. This gives a realistic daily kWh figure. Adjust your system size to match the recommendation shown.

The Formula

Daily kWh (appliances) = Sum(Watts × Daily Hours) ÷ 1000 Monthly kWh = max(Bill ÷ KSh 23, Appliance kWh × 30) Annual Production = System kW × 1000 × City PSH × 365 × 0.80 ÷ 1000 Panel Count = System kW × 1000 ÷ 300W (round up) Battery kWh (off-grid) = Daily kWh × 2 days ÷ 0.80 DoD Inverter kVA = System kW × 1.2 Cost (grid-tied) = System kW × 1000 × KSh 90/W Cost (off-grid) = System kW × 1000 × KSh 110/W + Battery kWh × KSh 25,000 Monthly Savings = min(Production, Usage) × KSh 23/kWh Payback = Total Cost ÷ Annual Savings

Cost estimates use KSh 90-110 per watt installed for panels, inverter, mounting, and wiring — typical 2026 Kenya market prices. LiFePO4 battery cost is estimated at KSh 25,000 per kWh, which represents quality lithium iron phosphate batteries suitable for Kenya's climate. Cheaper lead-acid batteries cost less but last 3-5 years vs 10+ years for LiFePO4.

Example

Wanjiru — 3-bedroom home in Nairobi

Wanjiru pays KSh 5,000/month to KPLC and wants a 3kW grid-tied solar system to reduce her bill. She runs a fridge, TV, lights, fans, and phone charging.

Monthly KPLC billKSh 5,000
System3 kW, grid-tied
CityNairobi (5.5 PSH)
AppliancesFridge, TV, lights, fan, phone

Result

Monthly production~363 kWh/mo
Panel count10 × 300W panels
Inverter3.6 kVA
System costKSh 270,000
Monthly savings vs KPLCKSh 5,000/mo
Payback~4.5 years

Wanjiru's 3kW system produces enough to cover most of her 217 kWh/month usage. At KSh 270,000 total cost and KSh 5,000/month in savings, she recoups her investment in 4.5 years — then enjoys 20+ more years of near-free electricity. With KPLC rates rising historically ~10% per year, her actual payback may be even faster.

FAQ

Kenya Power (KPLC) charges approximately KSh 22-25 per kWh for residential customers in 2026, depending on consumption tier. The tariff structure includes a fixed charge, energy charge, fuel cost charge (which fluctuates monthly), inflation adjustment factor, and REP levy. The effective all-in rate is typically KSh 22-25/kWh for most households. This calculator uses KSh 23/kWh as a midpoint estimate. Check your latest KPLC bill for your exact effective rate: divide total bill amount by total kWh consumed.
Grid-tied is better if: you have reliable KPLC connection, you want to reduce your bill, and you want a lower upfront cost (no batteries). Grid-tied systems in urban Kenya pay back in 4-6 years. Off-grid is better if: you're in a rural area without KPLC access, you want complete independence, or you're tired of KPLC outages. Off-grid systems cost more (batteries add 30-40% to cost) but replace a generator entirely. A hybrid system — solar with battery but still connected to KPLC as backup — is increasingly popular in Nairobi where outages are common but not worth full off-grid cost.
Kenya has a net metering framework in place since the Energy Act 2019 and associated regulations. In practice, net metering is available but the process for approval and connection can be bureaucratic. KPLC is the grid operator and must approve your grid connection. The feed-in tariff for small solar is set by EPRA (Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority). In practice, most residential solar owners in Kenya focus on self-consumption (using solar directly) rather than exporting, since the grid connection approval process can take months. Off-grid systems entirely sidestep this issue.
Typical 2026 Kenya market prices: Grid-tied systems cost KSh 80-100 per watt installed (panels + inverter + mounting + wiring + installation). A 3kW system is KSh 240,000-300,000. Off-grid systems with LiFePO4 battery cost KSh 100-120 per watt plus KSh 20,000-30,000 per kWh of battery. A 3kW system with 10kWh battery is KSh 530,000-630,000. Quality matters: imported tier-1 panels (JA Solar, Longi, Canadian Solar) available in Nairobi are 5-15% more expensive than tier-2 but last 25+ years with standard 10-year warranty.
Running a generator in Kenya costs KSh 60-100 per kWh equivalent when you account for petrol/diesel fuel at current prices. Solar costs effectively KSh 2-5 per kWh over the system lifetime. Even accounting for upfront capital cost, a solar system with battery pays back vs a generator in 2-4 years for off-grid users. Additional advantages of solar over generators: no fuel supply chain dependency, no noise, no fumes, minimal maintenance (no oil changes, spark plugs, or carburettor cleaning), and no risk of fuel theft. For businesses in Kenya with significant generator running costs, solar ROI is often under 3 years.

Related Calculators

🔋 Battery Bank Calculator
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☀ Solar Panel Calculator
How many solar panels for your specific energy needs.
🏭 Off-Grid System Calculator
Complete off-grid system sizing with autonomy and battery chemistry.
⚡ Power Consumption Calculator
Calculate daily kWh from any list of appliances.

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