ZEFa Colloquium on From Solar Electrification to Solar Waste? Circular Economy Approach to Off-Grid Electrification in Ghana

January 16, 2019 | 11:00 h - 12:00 h

Abstract:
In the last decade small-scale solar light solutions became the most pervasive off-grid electrification solution in Sub-Saharan Africa, where energy poverty remains a significant challenge especially in rural areas. Despite being a trend in the right direction towards electrification, the extent in which it is pushing in the direction of sustainability is still in need of further investigation. Ghana presents an interesting case. On the one hand, it has been able to achieve one of the highest electricity access progress rates in the region. On the other hand, there is a growing concern over what has been coined ‘solar waste’ as a constitutive part of the long-standing issue of electronic waste facing the country. The linkages and dynamics between the two regimes (i.e. solar electrification regime and solar waste regime) remain understudied. This presentation explores how a circular economy approach can provide insights into this by focusing on the associated business models, waste management and end-user practices. By employing a circular economy approach, the presentation aims to challenge the so called ‘leapfrogging’ claim regarding solar electrification in the context of energy poverty.

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Shahrazad Far is a researcher in the project CIREG (Climate information for Integrated Renewable Electricity Generation). Her research interests lie in the field of sustainability transitions in Middle-Income and Low-Income countries. Within the framework of the CIREG project, she covers the case of Ghana.