PlantmarginNet metering in Kenya: what industrial sites need to know
Kenya's Energy (Net-Metering) Regulations, 2024 let customers with their own renewable generation export surplus energy to the grid and receive credit for it. For an industrial site the rules shape how big a system should be and how it should be run.
The main points
- Size limit. A net-metered system may be up to 1 MW, and not more than the customer's own demand.
- Credit, not cash. Exported energy earns credit against energy bought later. The credit is valued at a share of the energy price (50% under the regulations), and unused credits do not carry over indefinitely.
- Approval first. The utility checks the connection, protection and metering before export starts. A bi-directional meter replaces the existing one.
- Licensed work. Installers must hold the right solar licence from EPRA, and the installation must follow the wiring and solar regulations.
Exporting without approval is not allowed. Until approval arrives, a system can run in zero-export mode.
What this means for sizing
Because an exported kWh is worth about half of a kWh used on site, self-consumption is still where the value is.
Example: a plant pays KSh 22 per kWh all-in. A kWh of solar used on site saves KSh 22. The same kWh exported earns about KSh 11 of credit. A system sized so that 30% of its output is exported earns noticeably less per kWp than one sized to the daytime load.
| Share of solar exported | Value per kWh produced (example) |
|---|---|
| 0% | KSh 22.0 |
| 15% | KSh 20.4 |
| 30% | KSh 18.7 |
Running a net-metered site well
- Size the array to the daytime load first; let export absorb weekends and shutdowns.
- Move flexible loads (pumping, cold-room pull-down, batch mixing) into the sunny hours.
- Watch export against the approved limit every day.
- Reconcile the utility's credits against your own meters each month.
Plantmargin shows import, export and credit against your own meters, so the bill can be checked line by line.