Approximately 180 million off-grid solar products have been sold since 2010, and the sector is predicted to serve over 830 million people worldwide by 2030. This growth of the off-grid solar market requires a robust e-waste management system, especially in developing countries where demand and uptake of solar products is on the rise.
On 10 March, Global LEAP Awards awardee, Lagazel hosted an online workshop to present findings from a pilot program aimed at reducing e-waste from solar products by offering second-life battery packs at an affordable price. With support from the Global LEAP Awards Solar E-waste Challenge, Lagazel collected and tested 1500 Li-ion cells and graded them for their reassembly potential. Appropriate cells were then reconditioned in the traditional fashion, using solders and nickel straps, or via a new innovative solderless approach under development at Lagazel.
Lagazel’s pilot, as well as those being undertaken by other Solar E-Waste Challenge finalists, signal growing prioritization of the field of solar e-waste management in sub-Saharan Africa.
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