Unwanted Australian Solar Panels Powering Communities In Africa

Pre-loved solar panels from Australia that may have otherwise ended up in landfill are generating clean electricity in African villages.

Solar installation firm Venergy Australia says much of its work these days involves upgrading solar power systems, which left the company with a challenge – how to deal with the old panels being replaced.

“Although these panels have been on houses for many years and played their part in Australia’s transition to renewable energy, they were still in great working condition and had many more years left to generate power,” said Venergy Australia CEO Matthew Wilkins.

Instead of sending these panels to landfill or warehousing them for recycling, Venergy has been shipping containers of modules to rural areas in West Africa. The second-hand panels power essential appliances and provide light to communities without mains grid electricity access.

Energy Poverty In West Africa

According to the World Bank, West Africa has one of the lowest rates of electricity access in the world – limited to around 42% of the total population, and just 8% of rural residents.

“In West and Central Africa, only three countries are on track to give every one of their people access to electricity by 2030,” says Riccardo Puliti, Vice President for Infrastructure at the World Bank. “At this slow pace, 263 million people in the region will be left without electricity in ten years.”

Households without access to electricity are often spending a big chunk of their income on fuel for generators and kerosene for lighting. This isn’t just expensive, but polluting and dangerous; with kerosene lamps starting fires and emissions contributing to respiratory ailments.

Venergy’s initiative is a fantastic effort and more (solar) power to them for it.

The good news is Venergy isn’t the only Australian solar installer doing this sort of thing. For example, we mentioned last year that Solahart Hervey Bay in Queensland partnered with non-profit Alight Project to send unwanted panels to Nigeria. Under that arrangement, enough are sold to cover the cost of shipping, with the remainder donated to disadvantaged communities.

Reusing Solar Panels In Australia

Generally speaking, solar panels are very affordable in Australia¹. SolarQuotes’ solar panel comparison table shows some good quality 400W panels can be purchased for approximately $240 a pop – that’s retail, and inclusive of GST. Just as an indicator of how far prices have dropped over the years, the first panel I purchased in 2008 was 100 Watts capacity and cost a thousand dollars.

Given comparatively cheap panels here and some of the uncertainty around second-hand gear, there hasn’t been much of a market locally for pre-loved solar kit. But that could change, with standards to support a second-hand solar market in Australia currently being developed.

There have already been some formal pilot projects for second-life solar in Australia, including an 8kW system recently installed on the rooftop of a Dubbo Regional Council building.

Original Source: https://www.solarquotes.com.au/blog/australia-panels-africa-mb2600/