Solahart helps supply solar power to disadvantaged communities in Nigeria

Solahart recently teamed up with The Alight Project to pioneer an innovative project that supplies working solar power panels to disadvantaged communities in Nigeria.

The initiative fosters work and education, providing communities with basic lighting and the opportunity to charge devices such as phones, computers and tablets.

Solahart Gold Coast and Hervey Bay are working closely with Tina Ali, founder of The Alight Project, to execute the solar redistribution program.

Daniel Kelly, who heads up Solahart Gold Coast, says that this is a perfect way to utilise used solar panels that can still make a difference.

“A growing part of our business is collecting used solar panels. This occurs when a household is upgrading an old system, or when one or two panels are no longer performing at peak capacity, many customers choose to upgrade the entire system with new technology,” said Daniel.

Darren Page, Dealer Principal at Solahart Hervey Bay, says that the majority of panels that are replaced can still be used. This project allows for the panels to be put to a very good cause.

“During these replacements, we find that about 80 percent of solar panels can still be used so we were very keen to find a way to reuse these panels in a sustainable and meaningful way – and help those who could use it most,” said Darren.

The Alight Project is on a mission to make solar energy accessible to roughly 40% of Africans who live without electricity.

Such a project is close to Tina’s heart as she has family in Nigeria. During her frequent visits to the country, she realised that many communities had limited access to reliable electricity. In some cases, villages have no power at all.

“I witnessed first-hand how unreliable the electricity in many of the villages was and solar power in Nigeria is far too expensive for most. I knew that here in Australia many of the solar panels that get replaced could still be used, so I reached out to my local Solahart dealer to see what we could do,” said Tina.

“Providing Nigerian communities with top-tier solar panels from Australia is completely life-changing and I am thrilled that we’ve found a cost-effective and sustainable way to keep the lights on, and keep these communities connected. Together, the Alight Project and Solahart have established a brand new and accessible solar industry in Nigeria.”

Tina sells the Australian solar panels to wholesale retailers in Nigeria who then distribute the high-quality panels to locals at a highly discounted price. 

She sells just enough panels to cover the costs of shipping the freight to Nigeria, and then donates the rest of the panels to these communities.

Solahart helps supply solar power to Nigerian communities