**7. Conclusions**

This paper has discussed the barriers and possibilities for overcoming these for the integration of PV technology in Kenya based on a literature review to achieve high installed capacities. Significant changes must occur in the Kenyan electricity sector. Most noticeably, storage solutions and other elements of flexibility need to be incorporated to balance the intermittent nature of electricity generation based on solar PV. This is particularly eminent for large-scale deployment of PV technology in Kenya. A complement between hydro and solar PV to address the storage challenge was proposed in this investigation.

Such a hybrid system represents a complete transformation from the current scenario. A variety of technical, economic, institutional, political barriers have been pointed out which currently restrict further increase of PV technology.

Some of the technological barriers identified include lack of adequate knowledge of PV technology and lack of energy storage systems or energy system flexibility to integrate PV. An important economic barrier identified is the high upfront costs and unwillingness of banks to fund PV investments. Some of the institutional and policy barriers identified are lack of stability incentives for adoption of PV and the long and complicated grid connection process.

These barriers can be overcome with robust policy regulations, additional investments in education, training, research and development, better regulation of the electricity sector and improved coordination between key actors.

While this analysis focused on the barriers for solar PV in the Kenyan grid system, the results may be applicable to other sub-Saharan African countries, many of whom are faced with the same challenges: growing demand for electricity, insufficient generating capacity, and long lead times and extensive financial investments required for planned generation projects. As a result, many countries have turned to short-term expensive solutions such as diesel plants. Further, the other characteristic—that may make solar PV a favourable option in Kenya such as abundant solar resource—is also present across the continent.

**Author Contributions:** Conceptualization, D.S.; methodology, D.S.; investigation, D.S.; writing—original draft preparation, D.S.; writing—review and editing, C.N., P.A.Ø., A.R.; supervision, C.N., P.A.Ø., A.R.; funding acquisition, C.N. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

**Funding:** This article was prepared with support from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Innovation and Renewable Electrification in Kenya (IREK) project—Grant DFC 14-09AAU.

**Acknowledgments:** The present paper is a substantially revised and improved version of a working paper published at the Aalborg University repository VBN [87].

**Conflicts of Interest:** The authors declare no conflict of interest.
