Why do quotes for the same system size differ so much?

Almost entirely the battery. Two 5kW quotes can differ by KES 200,000 and both be honest: one is lead-acid that will need replacing in two to three years, the other is lithium that will not. Compare the battery specification and the warranty cycle count, not the panel wattage.

Usefully, by the watt. KES 75–90 per watt installed lets you scale a rough budget for any system size before a survey. Mounting is extra and depends on the roof: KES 20,000–55,000, with flat concrete costing more than sloped iron.

Will solar pay for itself?

It depends what you are buying. If your bill is small, the payback on a grid-tie system is slow and we will tell you so. If you lose power often, or you are on a Syokimau or Katani plot waiting months for a KPLC connection, the value is availability rather than payback, and that case is usually strong.

Do I need to replace my roof first?

Sometimes, and it is better to know before the array goes up. Panels sit there for twenty years. If the sheeting or the waterproofing has under five years left in it, doing the roof first is far cheaper than removing and refitting an array later.

Solar Installation Cost in Kenya: What a Working System Actually Costs

The short answer

A complete 5kW installation in Kenya typically costs KES 350,000–600,000. Across sizes, KES 75–90 per watt installed is the figure to budget with. Mounting adds KES 20,000–55,000 depending on the roof.

The range is wide for one reason, and it is not the panels.

The battery is the price

Panels are close to a commodity now and the difference between brands is measured in a few percent of yield. The battery is where two honest quotes for the same system size diverge by hundreds of thousands of shillings.

A lead-acid bank sized to hit a price point will be worn out in two to three years if it is cycled daily, and the replacement costs more than the original saving. Lithium costs considerably more up front and delivers far more usable cycles, so per unit of energy over its life it is usually the cheaper option.

Compare battery chemistry, usable capacity and warranted cycle count. Ignore the panel wattage in the headline.

What else moves the number

Inverter surge rating. If you intend to run a borehole pump, the inverter has to handle the start-up surge, not just the running load. Sizing to running load is the commonest specification error we are called to correct.

Roof type. A sloped iron roof is straightforward. A flat concrete roof needs ballasted or penetrating frames and structural consideration, and it costs more.

Backup, hybrid or off-grid. These are three different products at three different prices, and they get conflated in most quotations. Be clear which one you are being quoted for.

Where solar genuinely wins in Kenya

On availability more often than on payback. If you lose power regularly, or you are on a new plot where the KPLC connection is months away, which on parts of Syokimau and Katani it genuinely is, the case is strong and immediate.

If your bill is modest and your supply is stable, we will tell you the payback is slow. We would rather say that than sell you a system you did not need.

Rates

Work	Rate	Notes
5kW system, complete and installed	KES 350,000 – 600,000	Battery choice is the biggest single driver
Any system size, per watt installed	KES 75 – 90 per watt	Useful for scaling a rough budget
Mounting structure	KES 20,000 – 55,000	Flat concrete roof costs more than sloped iron
Inverter and battery replacement	Quoted at survey	Sized to the existing array, not upsold

Rates reviewed 2026-08. Every job is confirmed with a written quotation before work starts.