In brief
- In Kenya, a solar system may send surplus power to the grid only with approval and a net-metering agreement with Kenya Power.
- In September 2026 the energy regulator gazetted a tariff amendment that treats unapproved exports as “dumping”. The exported units are billed at the base tariff, backdated to 1 July 2025.
- Approved net metering credits half a unit for every unit exported. The credit is in units, not cash.
- A well-designed grid-tie or hybrid system is sized around the site’s own consumption and uses export limiting, so that it sends nothing to the grid without an agreement.
What does exporting solar power mean?
A grid-tie solar system works alongside the Kenya Power supply. When the panels produce less than the site needs, the grid makes up the difference. When the panels produce more than the site is using, the surplus has to go somewhere. Unless the system is set up to prevent it, that surplus flows out through the meter and onto the grid. That is export.
Export happens most at weekends, on public holidays and in the middle of the day, when the sun is strong and the building is using little. A school during the holidays and an office on a Sunday are typical cases.
What do the rules in Kenya say?
The Energy (Net-Metering) Regulations 2024 have been in force since July 2024. Under them, a consumer may export surplus solar power only with approval and a net-metering agreement with Kenya Power. The system may be up to 1 MW, and no larger than the site’s maximum demand over the previous twelve months.
In September 2026 the regulator gazetted a tariff amendment that deals with exports made without an agreement. It treats them as “dumping”. The units are billed at the base tariff, and the charge is backdated to 1 July 2025. An owner can therefore end up paying for power that the system gave away.
These rules changed in 2025 and again in 2026. Confirm the current position with the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) or Kenya Power before making a decision. This article is a general guide and is not legal advice.
Why does unapproved export matter to the grid?
- Safety. Line crews need to know every source that can feed power into the section they are working on.
- Network planning. The utility has to keep voltage within limits, which means knowing how much generation is connected to each part of the network.
- Metering and billing. Power flowing in both directions has to be measured by a meter that is set up for it and covered by an agreement.
How does approved net metering work?
A consumer applies to Kenya Power, the installation is assessed, an agreement is signed and a meter that records flow in both directions is fitted. After that:
- Each unit exported earns a credit of half a unit.
- The credit is in units, not cash.
- Unused credit rolls over from month to month.
- Credit that is still unused at the end of Kenya Power’s financial year is forfeited.
Because an exported unit earns only half a unit back, solar power used directly on site is worth about twice as much as solar power exported. Good design therefore starts with self-consumption, and treats export as a way to use an occasional surplus.
How do you stop a solar system exporting?
| Method | How it works | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Size to the daytime load | The array is matched to what the site uses in daylight, so little surplus arises | Every system |
| Export limiting | A meter at the grid connection measures the flow, and the inverter reduces its output as export approaches zero | Grid-tie and hybrid systems |
| Battery storage | Surplus solar power charges batteries for use in the evening or during an outage | Hybrid systems |
| Load shifting | Water heating, pumping and similar loads are moved to the sunniest hours | Sites with flexible loads |
Export limiting is sometimes called zero export. It needs the right meter or current sensors, correct inverter settings and a test at commissioning to show that it works.
What should owners of existing solar systems do now?
- Ask the installer whether export limiting is fitted, and what it is set to.
- Look at the inverter’s monitoring app for an export or feed-in reading.
- Check Kenya Power bills since July 2025 for export entries or charges.
- If the system is exporting, have export limiting fitted and tested, or apply for net metering.
- Keep the commissioning records and any correspondence with Kenya Power.
What should a tender or RFQ for solar specify?
- Whether the system is to be zero export or net metered.
- Export-limiting hardware, named by make and model.
- System sizing based on twelve months of demand data.
- A commissioning test that demonstrates export control, with the results in the handover file.
- Support with the net-metering application, where export is wanted.
Procurement teams can find a wider checklist in How Do You Evaluate a Solar or Generator Contractor for a Tender or RFQ?
How does Vulfem International design for export rules?
Vulfem International designs grid-tie and hybrid solar systems around each client’s own consumption, so that a system exports only under an agreement. Read more about grid-tie solar systems and hybrid solar systems.
Get a personalised quote
For a new system, or a review of an existing one, message Vulfem International on WhatsApp at +254 739 629 118 or email fmugo@vulfem.com.
Last updated: 5 October 2026.
