African governments are developing waste management policies for solar panels, batteries, and other renewable energy equipment as installations accelerate across the continent.
Energy think-tank Ember projects that Africa will install 17 gigawatts of solar capacity in 2026, equivalent to approximately 100,000 solar panels daily. This forecast represents a third consecutive year of record growth, following 51% growth in 2025 and 25% growth in 2024. The increase stems from African households and businesses installing solar panels and battery storage to address unreliable grid power or avoid waiting for access.
Officials warn that without investment in recycling and reuse infrastructure, the energy transition could create a new environmental problem. Anselm Marungu, Namibia's deputy minister of environment, forestry and tourism, stated that rules should be established to recover valuable materials from discarded solar panels, batteries, and inverters at the end of their useful life.