Repairable Off-Grid Energy Futures
Building solar repair systems across Africa and the Pacific to secure energy access
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Research Project
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Challenge
Millions of households across Africa and the Pacific Islands rely on off-grid solar, but when products fail, families face costly replacement and growing e-waste. With limited repair pathways, energy access remains fragile. This program addresses the structural gap by embedding repair into education, community practice and policy systems.
Solution
The program creates repairable energy futures across two regions. In Malawi and Zambia, ARC-funded research – with industry partners SolarAid, Zuwa Energy and CLASP – maps solar e-waste flows, documents informal repair cultures and codesigns digital repair resources, including a Wiki.
In Vanuatu, DFAT-funded Fiksim Sola pilots embed repair skills into vocational and secondary curricula with national policy support. Together, these initiatives demonstrate how locally grounded repair ecosystems can sustain energy access, reduce waste and enhance livelihoods.
Target customers / end-users
• rural households in Africa and the Pacific using off-grid solar
• local repairers, schools and vocational centres embedding repair skill
• policymakers, nongovernment organisations and donors designing sustainable energy programs.
Progress
• AU $ 675k + in research translation funding / grant support
• DFAT-backed Fiksim Sola pilots launched in Vanuatu
• published the‘ State of Repair’ report, shaping global sector debate.
Prototype developed
Multidisciplinary team
TRL 3
Climate & Clean Energy
Repairable Off-Grid Energy Futures develops scalable repair systems for offgrid solar in Africa and the Pacific. Funded by the ARC( Malawi and Zambia) and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade( DFAT)( Vanuatu), the project demonstrates how embedding repair into schools, communities and policy can cut e-waste, reduce costs and strengthen resilience.