- Chinese clean-energy firm BLUETTI displayed a range of solar and energy storage products at the 140th Canton Fair in October 2026
- The company's pay-as-you-go model is designed to lower the barrier to entry for households seeking electricity access across Africa
- BLUETTI currently operates across more than 40 African countries and is looking to deepen ties with local distributors
TUKO.co.ke journalist Japhet Ruto has over eight years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting, offering insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.
Chinese clean-energy company BLUETTI has set its sights on Kenya and broader African markets, unveiling flexible solar payment options and a range of energy storage products at the 140th Canton Fair, which ran from 15 to 19 October 2026.
Source: UGC
The company used the platform to showcase three distinct product lines: a pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) solar solution, the HomeStar residential storage series, and a commercial and industrial (C&I) energy portfolio.
BLUETTI framed the exhibition as a move to deepen partnerships with African distributors and unlock new business across the continent.
What is BLUETTI's PAYGO model?
Central to BLUETTI's pitch for markets like Kenya was the PAYGO model, which allows customers to pay for electricity in instalments rather than covering the full system cost upfront.
The solution is paired with BLUETTI GO, a proprietary digital management platform that gives distributors tools for tracking sales, monitoring repayments, managing inventory, and operating devices remotely.
For households, small clinics, and shops, BLUETTI presented its HomeStar series, offering energy storage capacities between 2 kWh and 5 kWh.
The units support both AC and solar charging and come with app-based energy management, providing off-grid and backup power for users with varying electricity needs.
What else did BLUETTI showcase?
On the commercial side, the company showcased C&I storage systems ranging from 64 kWh to 240 kWh.
These are designed for supermarkets, office buildings, and industrial facilities, supporting functions such as peak shaving, energy arbitrage, critical-load backup, and EV charging integration, helping businesses manage power costs and improve reliability.
BLUETTI says it already has a footprint in more than 40 African countries, backed by local teams and project implementation capacity.
The Canton Fair appearance signals the company's intent to accelerate that expansion through stronger distributor relationships and continued product localisation across the continent.
Why KPLC raised an alarm
In other news, we also highlighted facts about Kenya Power’s warning that rising wind and solar use could strain the national grid and increase electricity costs.
The utility says Kenya’s variable renewable energy share has exceeded recommended levels, while intermittent supply can require costly backup generation.
It urged greater investment in geothermal, hydro and battery storage.
Source: TUKO.co.ke