In our journey toward sustainable transformation across Africa, one truth continues to resonate deeply with me: sustainability is not a destination — it is a system. At Cleancyclers, we are committed to building those systems. We don’t just see waste; we see potential. We see solar panels not as discarded technology, but as dormant opportunities for renewal.
This case study offers a glimpse into how Cleancyclers is giving solar panels a second life, driving circular solutions that align with the core values of the Global Sustainability Summit: regeneration, resilience, and responsibility.
The Challenge: Growing Solar Waste in Africa
Africa’s solar revolution is accelerating, but so is the shadow of solar waste. Millions of panels are reaching end-of-life, and without intervention, this e-waste poses significant risks to both land and sea.
In Nigeria, the infrastructure to manage this wave of decommissioned panels is still in its infancy. This is not just a waste issue — it’s an opportunity issue. As I’ve emphasized at international climate forums, if we do not build local circular systems, we will import global environmental crises.
The Solution: Circularity Through Recovery
Cleancyclers is more than a recycling company. It is a climate resilience engine. Our four-tier approach involves:
- Collection and diagnostics: Extracting value from what others discard
- Safe dismantling: Recovering raw materials while protecting our ecosystems
- Reprocessing: Reintegrating parts into new panels or alternative uses
- Local value chains: Creating livelihoods and enabling innovation through green materials
This is how we define sustainability — not in slogans, but in supply chains.
Case in Focus: Restoring Panels for Rural Electrification
Recently, Cleancyclers salvaged a batch of solar panels from an aging commercial installation. Instead of heading to a landfill, 60% of those panels found a second life powering off-grid schools in Northern Nigeria.
If there’s one message I share consistently at the Global Sustainability Summit, it’s this: Regeneration must replace extraction.
At Cleancyclers, we walk that path every day. We are closing loops. We are extending lifespans. We are creating futures.
I invite you to join us — not just as partners or donors, but as co-builders of a new kind of African economy: one that respects the planet, values its people, and leaves no panel behind.
Join Us
Whether you’re a solar provider, policymaker, environmental advocate, or community innovator — we need your voice and your vision.
Let us reimagine waste. Let us rewrite sustainability.
