Lack of available data on Quality Control (QC)

The 2024 Off-Grid Solar (OGS) Market Trends Report notes that only 27% of products sold globally are quality-verified, leaving the majority of the off-grid products that make it to the market (73%) without adequate quality assurance data. This creates uncertainty about the reliability and safety of a large portion of OGS products​.

Many manufacturers do not provide detailed QC reports or specifications for their products. This limits product distributors’ ability to choose suitable products based on technical performance and quality. Even when QC data is available, distributors often do not utilize it due to a lack of technical capacity or awareness. Many product distributors rely on informal methods and intuition, which do not incorporate performance data or technical specifications. This approach often results in selecting suboptimal or unreliable products, especially when cost is prioritized over quality.

Inconsistent Implementation of Standards

Although many countries are adopting quality standards, enforcement is inconsistent. Capacity constraints among regulatory authorities and a lack of resources for oversight hinder the effective implementation of these standards​.

The absence of reliable quality assurance mechanisms allows lower-quality products to dominate, which undermines consumer trust and can discourage investments in solar technologies​

Limited Consumer Awareness

In the developing world like SSA, consumer purchasing decisions are often driven by price rather than quality. Quality-verified products tend to be more expensive than non-verified alternatives, making them less accessible to low-income households. Many off-grid appliance companies operate on a business model that encourages frequent replacements rather than repair; this is especially true for generic products that do not come with user manuals or warranties.

Limited Access to Spare Parts and Tools

Many solar appliance suppliers and repair technicians face significant challenges in sourcing quality spare parts. Manufacturers do not always ensure parts are readily available in local markets. This problem is worse for outdated products and those that have run out of warranty, where manufacturers stop producing spares thus leaving end users with no choice but to purchase new products

Another challenge, is that importation of spare parts is costly and complex due to high tariffs, lack of streamlined supply chains, and limited partnerships between manufacturers and local repair businesses.

Opportunities for Improvement

 Embracing Informal Technicians

Rather than replacing existing informal repair technicians, stakeholders can formalize their skills through training programs and giving them access to spare parts. We can learn from the IT industry, where companies like Cisco and Microsoft have created certification programs to ensure that only trained and qualified technicians handle their systems. This model could work for manufacturers and distributors who are worried about intellectual property and often make their products tamper proof, thus limiting repairability.

Establishing Sustainable Business Models for Repair

Companies should explore new revenue models that enhance collaboration between the product manufacturers, distributors, and service-oriented businesses that support the solar products repair ecosystem. This collaboration has the potential to offer both the product manufacturers and distributors refurbished products as a lower-cost alternative to new units​

Strengthening Policy and Regulatory Support

Governments should introduce policies such as

• the “right to repair,” ensuring that repair manuals, spare parts, and diagnostic tools are publicly available​.
• tax incentives for importing spare parts and repair tools can make repair businesses more financially viable​

Enhancing Repairable Product Design and Making

• Implementing standardized repairability criteria, such as a publicly available repairability index, can guide manufacturers toward more repair-friendly designs​
• Designing appliances with modular components, standardized connectors, and replaceable batteries can simplify repairs​
• To ensure access to genuine spare parts, manufacturers, suppliers, and repair businesses should collaborate to create a regional spare parts distribution network. This would reduce reliance on imports and enable quicker, cost-effective repairs

Consumer Awareness and Education

Public campaigns should educate consumers on how to identify certified repair technicians and the importance of choosing qualified professionals. Community repair cafés can serve as hubs for consumers to access trusted repair services and for technicians to receive continuous training. These initiatives could be supported by local governments and development partners​.

Customer Feedback for Repair Services

Just as quality marks exist for appliances, a standardized quality assurance mark for certified repair technicians could help end users identify reputable service providers​. For example, Kijani Testing technicians put a sticker on all products they repair with a QR code and phone number. End users can call this number with a complaint about the repair service or scan the QR code that links to a feedback form.

Ensuring reliable, high-quality repair services is not a one-person job—it requires collaboration across the entire ecosystem.

Written By: Kinya Kimathi, Co-founder & Managing Director – Kijani Testing Limited

Contact: kinya.kimathi@kijanitesting.com