Are batteries the future of energy in Africa?

Renewable electricity generation in the form of solar home systems and mini-grids, particularly when coupled with batteries, is improving access, reliability, and the cost of energy. As such, over the next decade, batteries are expected to have a high uptake in Africa, especially with the declining costs.

Can batteries be repurposed in Africa?

Companies are beginning to repurpose batteries from local electronic waste, driven by the cost of alternative EOL management options. However, repurposing only delays the inevitable need for recycling, and is not a long term solution. These are some of the challenges for the recycling of lithium-ion batteries in Africa:

What is the demand for batteries in Africa?

Market forecasts by the World Economic Forum show that as more Africans gain access to energy over the coming years, the demand for batteries will grow to 83 GWh by 2030. Batteries are needed in Africa for various applications, such as mobile technologies, renewable energy systems, and grid solutions.

Are lithium-ion batteries recyclable in Africa?

While the recycling of lithium-ion batteries in Africa remains almost absent, the Nigerian recycler Hinckley and the Dutch company Closing the Loop organized the collection, packaging and shipment of 5 metric tons of lithium-ion batteries from Nigeria to Belgium for recycling in 2020, less than 0.005% of the total used batteries in circulation.

What is the biggest battery recycling plant in West Africa?

One such company was Union Autoparts Mfg. Co. Ltd., West Africa’s biggest battery recycling plant and located in a country believed to dispose of over 500,000 tons of used lead acid batteries every year. However, the plant could not source enough used batteries to supply its underutilized machines.

Could megamillion be Africa's first large-scale battery manufacturer?

Megamillion has plans to be Africa’s first large-scale manufacturer of Li-ion cells and battery packs, in hopes of bringing down prices and thereby catalyzing mass adoption of energy storage systems. They are banking on economies of scale to reduce the price of the cells, with the goal of producing 38 GWh/yr by 2028.