Net-Metering Savings Calculator — Kenya
Kenya’s Energy (Net-Metering) Regulations, 2024 — gazetted in June 2024 — finally let solar owners earn credits for the energy they export to the KPLC grid. This calculator models a typical month the way the meter sees it: how much solar you consume yourself, how much you export, how much you still import, and what the export credits are actually worth — then compares your bill with no solar, with solar but unpaid export, and with a full net-metering arrangement.
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Energy balance — typical month CALC-12 · REV 2026-07
| Self-consumed solar | – |
|---|---|
| Exported to the grid | – |
| Imported from the grid | – |
| Credited energy value | – |
| Credit applied this month | – |
| Credit carried forward | – |
| Effective value of an exported kWh | – |
| Total monthly saving | – |
| Annual saving (this profile) | – |
| Scenario | Monthly bill | Saving vs no solar |
|---|---|---|
| No solar | – | — |
| Solar, export unpaid | – | – |
| Solar + net-metering | – | – |
Estimate for a typical steady month under the Energy (Net-Metering) Regulations, 2024: exports earn energy credits only (no cash payment), credits carry forward monthly and expire at the end of the utility financial year (30 June), and a smart bi-directional meter plus an approved application through the EPRA portal are required. Confirm the credit ratio and terms in your own net-metering agreement.
How Kenyan net-metering works
- Who qualifies. Renewable systems below 1 MW connected to a distribution licensee, with domestic systems capped at 4 kWp on single-phase and 10 kWp on three-phase supplies. There is a national aggregate cap of 100 MW on a rolling five-year window, applications are first-come-first-served through the EPRA portal, and a smart bi-directional (time-of-use capable) meter is mandatory.
- How credits work. Only energy is credited — there is no cash payment or capacity compensation. Exports earn credits at a fraction of the retail tariff (50% as implemented; the calculator keeps this editable because your agreement or a future revision may differ). Credits offset your import bill, carry forward month to month, and expire at the end of the utility financial year on 30 June — a chronically over-exporting system donates its surplus.
- The energy balance. Each month: self-consumed solar avoids the full retail tariff; the remainder is exported for credits; the load not covered by solar is imported at retail. The comparison table shows all three bills side by side — no solar, solar with unpaid export, and net-metering.
- The design insight. At a 50% credit, a kWh used on site is worth exactly twice a kWh exported. Net-metering is a safety net for surplus, not a revenue stream — the winning design still right-sizes the array to the daytime load and shifts flexible loads (pumping, water heating, cooling) into the solar window.
Assumptions and limits
- A single typical month is modelled; seasonal profiles with credit banking toward the 30 June expiry are a planned enhancement.
- Credits are valued against your effective tariff as entered; the precise treatment of pass-through charges in the credit depends on your agreement and billing implementation.
- Connection studies, protection settings and the EPRA application itself are outside the tool.
Want the net-metering application handled end to end — design, protection, metering and the EPRA portal submission? See our consultancy services, or learn the framework in a training program.