Solarcentury, a leading solar firm, has established a regional subsidiary in partnership with East African Solar Group Ltd. The new company, headed up by Dr Dan Davies, a founder of Solarcentury, has been active in the region from its Nairobi office since June 2013.
The company is tapping the growing demand for solar from East African businesses looking to reduce their reliance on diesel. Replacing fossil energy with solar electricity will also enable businesses to cut their dependency on national energy grids, which are struggling to meet demand from power-hungry burgeoning economies.
Solarcentury in East Africa combines Solarcentury’s British engineering excellence and experience with local industry experience and insight provided by solar industry expert Guy Lawrence, former CEO of East African Solar.
Dr Dan Davies, Director of Solarcentury in East Africa said: “Since opening the office in Nairobi almost 18 months ago, we have made significant inroads into the solar market in Kenya, with two sizeable projects under our belts. Government support for renewables in this region is growing. In Kenya, for example, the government’s Kenya Vision 2030 recognises the opportunity for renewable energy to support economic growth and the need for the country to switch to more sustainable energy sources.”
“Joining Solarcentury creates a highly competitive offering which is already proving appealing to businesses serious about cutting their energy bills and carbon emissions by reducing their reliance on fossil fuels. Solar is especially beneficial for high energy users such as those in the tea, flower, horticulture and manufacturing sectors where high energy costs can reduce their global competitiveness,” says Mr Lawrence, who is the director of Business Development at Solarcentury in East Africa.
The company has completed a 1MWp solar farm for Williamson Tea and is building the largest solar car port in Africa for Garden City, a new retail complex in Nairobi. Looking ahead to 2015, Solarcentury is aiming to develop local supply partners.
