Filling gaps in local knowledge and technology assurance: Informal intermediation in the diffusion of off-grid solar technologies in rural Kenya

Intermediaries include actors playing multiple and often different roles in the innovation process, but comparatively little scholarship has characterized intermediation for technology diffusion in remote or hard-to-reach contexts. This paper uses mixed methods to characterize the relationships and associated activities required for diffusion intermediaries to support the local embedding of solar technologies in rural Kenya and argues for a focus on the informal processs that guide intermediaries in solar technology diffusion. Findings confirm the value of close social ties for technology diffusion but further show that informal relationships with on-the-ground service provider staff support the social ties that enable technology adoption. These informal configurations of social and service ties are characterized by layered partnerships that overcome gaps in knowledge while remaining flexible enough to meet evolving local needs. Further, informal ties step in to vet technology in contexts where formal pathways and institutions are weak. Informality in intermediation is often overlooked compared to more formal firms and traditional innovation processes, but for technology diffusion in Kenya, these informal relationships provide critical links for off-grid solar access.