Sustainability and Circularity Assessment of Solar Photovoltaic Electricity Hubs for Rural Villages in sub-Saharan Africa
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Manchester
Department Name: Mechanical Aerospace and Civil Eng
Abstract
The project aims to improve the sustainability of off-grid solar power systems, and to identify productive uses of off-grid solar power that can encourage socio-economic development in rural communities in sub-Sharan Africa (SSA). Economic, social, technical and environmental sustainability will be considered, with the intention being to design and build a sustainable off-grid solar power system in Malawi, and develop a structure that can be applied across SSA. Doing so would de-risk off-grid solar systems, attract investment, and accelerate electrification in the most electricity deprived area of the world. Malawi is used as the focus of the study due to its low rate of rural electrification.
Objectives
- Accelerate electrification and encourage socio-economic development across sub-Sharan Africa
- Make a framework for increasing the economic, social, technical and environmental sustainability of off-grid solar systems in sub-Sharan Africa
- Highlight potential approaches to addressing solar electronic waste across sub-Sharan Africa
- Build a sustainable off-grid solar system in Malawi
Key research questions:
- What are the key barriers to the uptake of off-grid solar power in sub-Sharan Africa?
- How can economic, social, technical and environmental sustainability be achieved for off-grid solar power systems in sub-Sharan Africa?
- How can themes of a circular economy be integrated into the off-grid solar market in sub-Sharan Africa?
- What productive uses of off-grid solar power can aid socio-economic development in Malawi?
Methods:
1. Literature review: the circular economy of off-grid solar in sub-Sharan Africa
- Assess the current resource management and end of life practices in the off-grid solar market across SSA
- Identify opportunities and policy recommendations that can improve the material circularity of off-grid solar products
- Identify the criteria for an environmentally sustainable off-grid solar system
2. Interviews: academics, NGOs, politicians, solar energy companies
- Engage with local stakeholders Identify barriers, and discuss potential solutions, to the uptake of off-grid solar in Malawi
- Identify community priorities for energy use
- Identify potential productive uses of off-grid solar in Malawi
3. Field trip to Malawi
- Further engagement and interviews with local stakeholders
- Identify the requirements for the social sustainability of community energy projects
- Assess how users interact with off-grid solar products
- Assess the opportunities for introducing circular initiatives for solar products
- Assess the requirements and feasibility of an off-grid solar community energy system
4. Design an off-grid solar community energy system
- Collaboration with the university of Manchester's department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering
5. Life cycle assessment
- Assess the environmental impacts of the proposed off-grid solar system deign
- Assess our design's potential for greenhouse gas emission mitigation
6. Circularity analysis
- Assess the performance of the proposed design in the context of a circular economy
Novelties:
The topic of waste management has recently gained significant attention within the off-grid solar industry. Although, a circular economy performance assessment of the off-grid solar market in SSA has not been carried out before. Malawi has an undeveloped solar market, almost no research has been published on off-grid solar in Malawi, and none relating to circular economy or solar electronic waste management. Another aim of the project is to identify new opportunities for productive uses of off-grid solar energy and, with the help of the University of Manchester's Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, a new sustainable design for an off-grid energy system will be made and assessed.
Objectives
- Accelerate electrification and encourage socio-economic development across sub-Sharan Africa
- Make a framework for increasing the economic, social, technical and environmental sustainability of off-grid solar systems in sub-Sharan Africa
- Highlight potential approaches to addressing solar electronic waste across sub-Sharan Africa
- Build a sustainable off-grid solar system in Malawi
Key research questions:
- What are the key barriers to the uptake of off-grid solar power in sub-Sharan Africa?
- How can economic, social, technical and environmental sustainability be achieved for off-grid solar power systems in sub-Sharan Africa?
- How can themes of a circular economy be integrated into the off-grid solar market in sub-Sharan Africa?
- What productive uses of off-grid solar power can aid socio-economic development in Malawi?
Methods:
1. Literature review: the circular economy of off-grid solar in sub-Sharan Africa
- Assess the current resource management and end of life practices in the off-grid solar market across SSA
- Identify opportunities and policy recommendations that can improve the material circularity of off-grid solar products
- Identify the criteria for an environmentally sustainable off-grid solar system
2. Interviews: academics, NGOs, politicians, solar energy companies
- Engage with local stakeholders Identify barriers, and discuss potential solutions, to the uptake of off-grid solar in Malawi
- Identify community priorities for energy use
- Identify potential productive uses of off-grid solar in Malawi
3. Field trip to Malawi
- Further engagement and interviews with local stakeholders
- Identify the requirements for the social sustainability of community energy projects
- Assess how users interact with off-grid solar products
- Assess the opportunities for introducing circular initiatives for solar products
- Assess the requirements and feasibility of an off-grid solar community energy system
4. Design an off-grid solar community energy system
- Collaboration with the university of Manchester's department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering
5. Life cycle assessment
- Assess the environmental impacts of the proposed off-grid solar system deign
- Assess our design's potential for greenhouse gas emission mitigation
6. Circularity analysis
- Assess the performance of the proposed design in the context of a circular economy
Novelties:
The topic of waste management has recently gained significant attention within the off-grid solar industry. Although, a circular economy performance assessment of the off-grid solar market in SSA has not been carried out before. Malawi has an undeveloped solar market, almost no research has been published on off-grid solar in Malawi, and none relating to circular economy or solar electronic waste management. Another aim of the project is to identify new opportunities for productive uses of off-grid solar energy and, with the help of the University of Manchester's Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, a new sustainable design for an off-grid energy system will be made and assessed.
Organisations
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP/T517823/1 | 01/10/2020 | 30/09/2025 | |||
| 2480489 | Studentship | EP/T517823/1 | 01/10/2020 | 30/09/2023 | Christopher Kinally |
| Description | The studies facilitated by this award have performed the first description of the lifecycle of household solar technologies in Malawi, highlighting that efforts to promote sustainable development by increasing electricity access are causing substantial environmental and human health risks due to the improper management of lead-acid battery waste. Firstly, from a review of existing literature, the management of waste from lead-acid batteries was identified as the biggest sustainability issue associated with household solar technologies in sub-Saharan Africa. Then, during a field trip to Malawi, interviews with local stakeholders and technical surveys were performed and the sustainability issues associated with household solar technologies and the current informal waste management practices were described. A substantial volume of lead-acid batteries was discovered and attributed to the poor technical sustainability of household solar technologies, and the first recording of Malawi's toxic informal lead scrap trade was made. The environmental impacts of the current waste management practices were calculated, highlighting life-threatening quantities of lead and sulphuric acid pollution within densely populated suburban communities. Based on these findings, opportunities to increase the performance of solar technologies and for sustainable waste management solutions were identified. Finally, an economic analysis has been planned for the remaining duration of the award, to calculate the economic cost of the environmental and human health burdens posed by the solar waste flow associated with Malawi's national electrification strategy. The findings of these studies are intended to increase the awareness of the environmental and human health risks associated with solar electrifications across sub-Saharan Africa, and are being communicated through four academic publications and two academic conferences. |
| Exploitation Route | Governments across sub-Saharan Africa and international organisations supporting solar electrification strategies should develop waste management strategies to avoid substantial environmental and human health burdens. Further research is needed into the management of lead-acid battery waste in the Global South and to establish effective policies for the management of hazardous electronic waste. |
| Sectors | Energy,Environment,Healthcare |
| Description | Sustainable waste management solutions for household solar products are being made (publication in process) to address the environmental and human health burdens identified with Malawi's national electrification strategy. |
| Impact Types | Societal,Policy & public services |
| Description | Podcast interview |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A digital podcast with open access to the public discussing the circular economy and environmental impacts of renewable energy technologies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://tyndall.ac.uk/podcasts/what-is-a-circular-economy/ |