The double-edged sword of Africa’s solar boom

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Solar power is transforming rural economies across Africa, but a hidden sustainability challenge is emerging. The disposal of millions of ageing and counterfeit panels. A University of Reading study in Zambia warns that without clear end-of-life policies, the continent’s clean energy boom could become a toxic waste crisis.

• The findings show an African reality where the rapid spread of solar technologies is far outpacing the systems needed to manage ageing and faulty equipment, leaving communities exposed to mounting solar e-waste.

• Weak regulation, the influx of counterfeit imports and limited awareness of safe disposal practices are fuelling a silent environmental hazard across the continent.

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