KYA-SolDesign: Africa’s first solar sizing software – Finding the balance between cost & reliability
A solar system that is too expensive for the customer to afford, or one that is cheaper but fails to meet their energy needs after sunset, is a poorly designed system. These two pitfalls are holding back the growth of off-grid solar, particularly in Africa. With KYA-SolDesign, the first photovoltaic solar system sizing software developed in Africa and available since 2020, KYA-Energy Group puts in the hands of professionals, a tool born in the field in Africa and designed for the world, one that overcomes both challenges.
Reliability and price: the end of a false dilemma
Sizing a solar system too often means choosing between reliability and affordability. KYA-SolDesign refuses to make that choice. For each project, the software looks for the configuration that guarantees reliable service while remaining economically accessible.
As Professor Yao Azoumah, CEO of KYA-Energy Group, puts it: “KYA-SolDesign strikes a better balance between economic affordability and technical reliability”.
The user at the heart of the design
While conventional tools focus primarily on how much energy a user consumes, KYA-SolDesign goes a step further by considering when that energy is needed in relation to the availability of solar energy. This nuance changes everything: consumption that is well spread across the hours of sunshine makes it possible to reduce storage capacity, often the most expensive item in an installation. Each solution is benchmarked
against the local price of grid electricity. The result: 30 to 50% lower initial investment, more reliable solar systems, more competitive quotes and more satisfied users. More than 500 solar installations have been sized with KYA-SolDesign and are still in operation.
A tool for every player in the solar sector
- Installers and companies: quickly produce reliable, competitive quotes.
- Engineering consultancies and project developers: secure their technical and financial choices.
- Universities and training centres: give students hands-on experience of system sizing.
What’s next?
KYA-SolDesign is broadening its scope. Upcoming versions will cover:
- grid-connected photovoltaic systems;
- hybrid systems;
- direct solar pumping;
- and more.
Driven by a team of young African engineers and researchers, KYA-SolDesign pursues a clear ambition: to make reliable, affordable solar electricity accessible to as many people as possible, wherever the sun shines. The software is available on KYA-Energy Market.