Incentive Stacking Made Simple

A Kiambu cold store installed 250 kW of solar plus batteries and trimmed payback from 4.5 to 2.8 years by stacking incentives. They claimed investment deduction on approved solar gear, joined a utility peak-flex pilot that pays for exporting on sunny Sundays, and negotiated a green lease so the landlord funded roof strengthening in exchange for a small rent bump. That mix freed up working capital and got the finance director to sign within a week. Your checklist: (1) Tax relief: investment deduction and VAT exemptions on certified solar components; prepare a short memo with supporting KRA guidance. (2) Utility: feed-in where allowed or peak-flex rebates when you can export during low-tariff windows. (3) Green lease: share capex with landlords and lock in roof rights. (4) EPC performance guarantees tied to output and uptime. Put this in a one-page finance note with payback, sensitivity to tariff hikes, and a fallback plan if the utility changes rules. Speed matters—clear numbers get approvals faster than glossy decks.