james wika 
The explosion of solar-mini grids across Kenya and a majority of African countries, is now offering more than just lighting up rural homes and supporting small appliances like charging phones and TVs to powering heavy machines like Posho mills.{Photo/Davis&Shirtliff}
Davis & Shirtliff has announced the launch of its solar mini-grid solution for commercial use targeted at industries, hospitality establishments, petrol stations and institutions of higher learning across Kenya.
The leading supplier of water and energy related equipment in the East Africa, Central and Southern Africa region said a sharp fall in the global average price of solar modules from Ksh 300/w in 2008 to less than Ksh 40/w in 2023 will help these institutions to significantly cut their overall energy costs and help reassign their budgets to other productive areas of business.
“Solar mini grids are providing high-quality uninterrupted electricity for large and mid- sized establishments and are the ultimate solution to closing the energy gap currently affecting underserved communities,” said Davis & Shirtliff Group Solar Segment Manager Norman Chege.
Africa Solar Industry Association shows close to 1.9GWp of large scale projects in Africa were in different development stages by the start of 2023.
The explosion of solar-mini grids across Kenya and a majority of African countries, is now offering more than just lighting up rural homes and supporting small appliances like charging phones and TVs to powering heavy machines like Posho mills.
To complement these developments,Davis & Shirtliff is also partnering with County governments on installation of mini-grids to expand and open up inactive towns.
“Davis & Shirtliff has been scaling up its support to Counties through solar projects as part of helping counties develop comprehensive electrification programs for low-income, off-grid households, and businesses,” said Chege.
“Solar mini grids have become the cheapest and most cost-effective way to bring high- quality 24/7 electricity to towns and cities off the grid or experiencing regular power cuts,” he added.
According to The World Bank’s Mini Grids for Half a Billion People:Market Outlook and Handbook for Decision Makers, an acceleration in deployment of solar mini-grids in Africa from just 500 in 2010 to 3,000 today.
The Handbook, however shows Africa will need to put up more than 160,000 minigrids at a cost of US $91 billion to connect 380 million people in the continent.
Across its twelve presences in Eastern, Southern and Central Africa,Davis & Shirtliff has more than 100 solar mini-grid projects that have been confirmed and on- going. Solarisation of boreholes and water supply bodies, commercial and industrial grid connect solar generation power supply now forms the group’s core business.
It is also offering solar mini-grids and offering PAYGO residential off-grid solutions to the whole of marginalized Africa where the residential rural off-grid users pay slowly as they use.
