Solar for productive use has also evolved over the years. Solar is now applied across a spectrum of applications ranging from water pumping, lighting, heating, ventilation and irrigation. The applications range from mega plants, with the largest plant in the world currently located in India with a capacity of 2,700 MW, to small PICO solar systems that use small light weight photovoltaic panels to generate power in a wide range of small and portable applications such as lanterns, shavers, incubators, amplifies etc.

 Despite the government efforts in rural electrification, almost 17 million Kenyans do not have access to any form of electricity. In addition, those with access are looking for other alternative sources of power due to the high cost and unreliability of the supply from Kenya power, the only power utility company in Kenya. Many have installed solar either as back up (to have power during power cuts) or to reduce their power costs. Particularly, industrial and huge commercial enterprises such as manufacturing companies, petrol stations and malls have embraced solar energy to reduce their power bills with some like Kenya Breweries opting to go completely off-grid in the next few years.

The government of Kenya has played some role, though ambivalent sometimes, in the growth of solar energy in Kenya. The government decision to remove duty and exempt VAT on solar equipment such as panels, batteries and controllers has played a major role in making solar power affordable to many Kenyans. Although the solar market in Kenya is largely driven by the private sector, the government has in the recent past embarked on large solar power plants that feed to the national grid. The Garissa solar power station with 55MW capacity is the largest grid-connected solar plant in East and Central Africa.

However, challenges still abound the solar sector which has limited the realization of its full potential. Some of the major challenges include;