Kenya will next week be host to the first Inter-Solar Summit Africa that brings over 250 participants and more than 50 expert speakers to exchange on the dynamic development of the solar and storage industry in Africa.
The Managing Director of Solar Promotion International GmbH, Dr. Florian Wessendorf, said in a press release today ahead of the summit that the African continent is one of the most exciting growth markets for solar energy in the world and industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators shaping Africa’s solar and energy storage sectors would participate.
“Decentralised solutions for industry, agriculture and rural electrification are the key to sustainable growth and with the Intersolar Summit Africa, we are finally on site to promote innovation, strengthen partnerships and actively shape the energy transition,” he added.
Intersolar is the world’s leading exhibition series for the solar industry and its partners.
Beyond its annual trade fair in Germany, Intersolar hosts exhibitions and summits worldwide, and this year, for the first time, it will come to Africa, highlighting solar market trends, innovative financing models, and advancements in energy storage solutions.
Kenya, Wessendorf said, is one of the pioneers of the African energy transition, with already 90 per cent of electricity generation coming from renewable energies, mainly from hydropower, geothermal energy and wind energy. Nevertheless, access to reliable electricity remains a challenge, especially in rural areas, she noted.
Globally, the importance of solar energy is growing, with the market for Commercial and Industrial (C&I) solar projects in East Africa booming, with annual growth rates of over 15 per cent.
Companies in particular are increasingly focusing on their own photovoltaic (PV) solar panel system with storage systems in order to reduce energy costs and improve their security of supply.
At the same time, the agricultural sector plays a key role in terms of solar-powered irrigation systems, cold chains and water treatment to secure yields and increase climate resilience, even as decentralised photovoltaic and storage systems offer a sustainable solution and supply households, businesses and entire industries with clean energy.
The first day of the summit will focus on the dynamic developments in the African solar markets and participants will gain detailed insights into the latest market trends, political framework conditions and business models in East, South, and West Africa, regions with enormous growth potential.
On the second conference day of the Intersolar Summit Africa 2025, three thematic sessions will run in parallel and will include Solar Industry, Energy Storage and Electromobility, and Financing and Guarantees for Solar Projects.
Various players will offer practical solutions for sustainable agriculture, while experts will present agri-PV concepts, solar-based irrigation systems and solar cooling and drying solutions; showcase energy-efficient cold rooms; present solar water treatment technologies; and also present innovative agri-PV models.
Innovative financing models enable companies to invest in solar and storage solutions for self-consumption.
According to the two-day summit organisers, apart from the technical sessions, the Intersolar Summit Africa 2025 offers a unique opportunity for targeted networking and matchmaking sessions, bringing together companies, investors and policymakers to explore concrete business and investment opportunities.
The Kenyan government has been actively promoting solar energy through policies like removing import duties and VAT on solar equipment, providing subsidies for solar panel purchases, and initiating programmes to electrify rural areas with solar systems, particularly schools and health facilities, aiming to maximise the country’s high solar potential and achieve its renewable energy goals outlined in Vision 2030.
By Wangari Ndirangu
