Solar King opens its first African manufacturing plant in Nairobi

Solar King, an off-grid photo voltaic firm with operations throughout sub-Saharan Africa, has opened its first large-scale manufacturing plant in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, marking a major step in its plan to supply extra of its merchandise domestically.

The brand new facility will assemble solar-powered televisions and smartphones designed to work effectively with the corporate’s off-grid photo voltaic methods. It’ll have the capability to supply as much as 700,000 models yearly, with the potential to scale up as demand grows.

“This facility permits us to harness Africa’s expertise and ingenuity whereas delivering reasonably priced, high-quality merchandise,” stated T. Patrick Walsh, Solar King’s co-founder and chief government.

Solar King’s new Nairobi plant indicators rising curiosity in clear vitality companies and a push to construct nearer to their prospects in Africa. As demand for reasonably priced solar energy and electrical mobility grows, corporations like Solar King and Spiro, which lately raised $100 million to develop their e-motorcycle community, are betting that the continent’s subsequent huge wave of development will come from making climate-friendly know-how domestically.

In July, Solar King secured a KES 20 billion ($156 million) mortgage from a bunch of banks and growth finance establishments to develop its operations in Kenya. The financing, structured by means of future buyer repayments, will assist the corporate attain about 1.4 million low-income households and small companies with its pay-as-you-go photo voltaic merchandise.

The corporate, which serves thousands and thousands of consumers throughout Africa and Asia, stated the Nairobi plant will assist shorten provide chains, scale back logistics prices, and make merchandise extra accessible. It plans to open a second plant in Nigeria later to strengthen regional manufacturing and provide networks.

Based in 2007, Solar King designs and distributes photo voltaic kits and home equipment, together with lights, followers, and televisions, to off-grid households and small companies. The corporate says it delivers greater than 330,000 photo voltaic kits month-to-month throughout Africa — a major improve from 10,000 in 2017 — and stories that one in 5 Kenyan households now owns a Solar King product.

Rising curiosity

By relocating manufacturing to Africa, Solar King goals to minimise its environmental affect and generate higher worth inside native economies.

“Our new Kenyan facility displays Solar King’s long-term partnership with governments and communities to advance Africa’s manufacturing capability,” stated Wale Aboyade, the corporate’s senior vice-president for public coverage and authorities relations.

Solar King’s funding comes as demand for reasonably priced, clear vitality accelerates throughout the continent, amid rising investor curiosity in cleantech and climate-focused industries.