Towards a Circular Economy in Rural Mozambique: Managing End-of-Life Solar Home Systems

Abstract

The background for this thesis is that access to sustainable electricity is part
of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. In Sub-
Saharan Africa, approximately 570 million people lacked access to
electricity in 2022. To expand access in rural areas, solar home systems and
other off-grid solar products offer affordable and accessible solutions.
However, as these systems reach end-of-life, they require repair,
refurbishment, or recycling. This thesis investigates how a circular economy
approach can be realised for end-of-life solar home systems in the
Morrumbene district of Mozambique.

The study follows a single-case embedded design, focusing on the
implementation of circular economy practices for solar home systems in
Morrumbene. Data were collected through interviews with nine
stakeholders, field observations, and a literature review. The analysis applies
a qualitative approach.

RO1: Map the current waste management practices and logistical
infrastructure in Morrumbene, Mozambique, with specific considerations for
solar home systems waste.
RO2: Identify best practices for circular economy in solar home systems
waste management, drawing from relevant case studies.
RO3: Identify challenges and enablers for implementing a circular economy
approach to managing solar home systems waste in rural Mozambique.
RQ: How can a circular economy approach for end-of-life solar home
systems be realised in rural Mozambique?

The findings show that the current waste management system in
Morrumbene is underdeveloped and relies on informal actors. Reverse
logistics systems exist only within isolated projects, and solar home system
components are often stored, informally exchanged, or disposed of
improperly. Logistical infrastructure is poorly maintained, regulatory
compliance is low, and no formal waste management system dedicated to
solar home systems is currently in place. Drawing from case studies, several
best practices are identified, including leveraging informal networks,
establishing public-private partnerships for e-waste recycling, and
introducing financial incentives to support waste collection.
Several challenges are identified, such as economic barriers, an unregulated
solar home system market, and a general lack of awareness about proper
waste management. Enabling factors for implementing a circular economy
include the involvement of informal actors in redirecting waste flows to safe
recycling, a strong local repair culture, effective incentives, awareness-
raising efforts, increased waste collection points, and support from donor-
funded energy projects.

This thesis contributes to the understanding of how circular economy
approaches can be adapted or developed in an already existing local context.

Popular Abstract

Don’t Underestimate the Informal Actors in Reaching a Circular Economy BY CIANNA ZETHRAEUS (JUNE 2025)


In rural Mozambique, it is not formal systems that drive circularity- it is the informal sector. They collect, repair and reuse broken solar components, keeping valuable materials in use and reducing e-waste.

Globally, there are seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to achieve by 2030, including SDG7, which aims to ensure that sustainable electricity is available to every individual within five years. To reach this goal, millions of solar home systems and other off-grid solar products will be deployed in Sub-Saharan Africa, where 570 million people lack access to electricity. However, the short lifespan of these systems puts pressure on how to handle them at their end-of-life stage, with valuable and hazardous materials. How do we keep these components in the material loop as long as possible?

The thesis investigates how the current waste management practices are carried out in a rural district in Mozambique, identifies case studies of similar settings, and highlights the challenges and enablers of realising a circular economy approach in rural Mozambique.

Interviews were conducted with a wide range of stakeholders involved in various ways with solar home systems and their end-of-life phase, including a producer, an aid organisation, the local authority, a scrap dealer, end-users and non-governmental organisations. Surprisingly, a form of circular economy was already in place - but not within a formal system. It was the informal actors who handled the collection, repair and reuse of broken components.


Ignoring these actors would mean overlooking the most essential piece of the puzzle. The informal sector is well established in Mozambique, and the majority of the population works in this sector. However, to build sustainable solutions, regulations, incentives, and awareness-raising are also needed. The findings show that circular solutions are possible even in developing countries with high poverty rates and limited infrastructure, if efforts are built on what is already working. These insights can guide aid organisations, solar companies, and policymakers in designing waste management strategies that align with existing local structures.

During five weeks in a rural village in Mozambique, one of the world's poorest countries, dedicated local efforts to preserve materials to the highest extent were observed. End-users maintaining and caring for their belongings, repair shops ready to repair whatever they receive, and scrap dealers paying for old components. These behaviours reflect a circular mindset that is already present, and they provide valuable lessons for more developed countries to draw inspiration from.

This popular scientific article is based on the master’s thesis "Towards a Circular Economy in Rural Mozambique: Managing End-of-Life Solar Home Systems” written by Cianna Zethraeus (2025) at the Division of Engineering Logistics, Faculty of Engineering, Lund University, Sweden.

• author: Zethraeus, Cianna
• supervisor: Eva Berg
• organization: Production Management; Engineering Logistics
• course: MTTM05 20251
• year: 2025
• type: H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
• subject: Technology and Engineering
• keywords: Circular Economy, Waste Management, E-waste, Off-grid Solar, Mozambique, Developing Country
• other publication id: 6045
• language: English
• id: 9200977
• date added to LUP: 2025-06-19 16:00:37
• date last changed: 2025-06-19 16:00:37