Grid-tied (no battery)
Panels and an inverter feed your property and work alongside Kenya Power. It is the cheapest type, because there is no battery. But it shuts down when the grid does, as a mandatory safety feature, so it gives no backup in an outage, and it saves nothing at night.
Suits: daytime-only users with reliable power who do not need backup.
Hybrid (grid plus battery)
A hybrid inverter manages the panels, a battery and the grid together. In daylight the panels run your property and charge the battery; in the evening the battery takes over; when the battery is low the grid tops up automatically. In an outage it switches to the battery instantly.
Suits: almost every grid-connected home and business in Kenya. It gives the biggest saving and the backup most people actually want. Every Elumina standard system is a hybrid with a LiFePO4 battery.
Off-grid (no Kenya Power connection)
The system is your only power supply, and the battery carries everything after sunset. Off-grid systems are sized against the loads you need to run, not against a bill, and need enough battery and panel capacity to get through cloudy spells.
Suits: homes, farms and businesses with no grid connection, or where connecting would cost more than going solar. See installation in all 47 counties.
Quick comparison
| Grid-tied | Hybrid | Off-grid | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery | No | Yes | Yes, essential |
| Works in a blackout | No | Yes | Yes (no grid to lose) |
| Saves at night | No | Yes | Yes |
| Uses Kenya Power | Yes | As top-up | No |
| Best for | Daytime users, no backup needed | Most homes and businesses | Sites with no grid |
Want to export surplus to the grid instead? Read net metering in Kenya first.
Common questions
What is a hybrid solar system?
A hybrid system uses a hybrid inverter to manage solar panels, a battery and the Kenya Power grid together. It runs your property from the sun by day, from the battery in the evening, tops up from the grid when needed, and switches to the battery instantly in a blackout.
Does grid-tied solar work during a blackout?
No. A grid-tied system without a battery shuts down when the grid goes down, as a mandatory safety feature. For backup you need a hybrid or off-grid system with a battery.