ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the arrival of photo voltaic (PV) systems into East Africa through donor-funded community services projects that helped create seeds for the later emergence of a household market in Kenya. It discusses how the household market potential began to be exploited and how the idea was picked up by other companies. The most geographically wide-ranging survey of the PV market was conducted for the World Bank through ESD in 2003, covering seven countries in Eastern Africa. Total Solar appeared to be doing quite well in terms of business, and this would have served to demonstrate a market demand in more of the rural areas. The dealer network that Total Solar developed was important for generating more business, of course, but it was also important for raising awareness of PV among more Kenyans. The evidence suggests that, prior to the Karamugi school installation, Burris had not considered PV systems for households as a viable business opportunity.
