What do you believe is the single most important factor driving up the cost of living in Nigeria?

A new report on the solar industry warns "the time is now" to implement circular economy measures that help it meet government Net Zero targets.

The report "From Linear to Circular: Evidence from the UK solar sector" highlights a number of circular economy initiatives that are leading the way, including a project where used car tires could play a role in manufacturing solar panels, and another where old solar panels have been revived for use in the reconstruction of Ukraine.

The report outlines and addresses environmental concerns over the amount of materials embedded in UK solar installations (an estimated 152,523 tonnes of aluminum, 8,745 tonnes of copper and 667,947 tonnes of glass by the end of 2023) and how they could become a problematic waste stream in the future.

It advocates for a wholesale rethink of product design, material use and end-of-life management so that materials and products are kept in circulation for as long as possible, warning that this is imperative to the UK's Net Zero Strategy and target of 70 GW solar capacity by 2035.

Report co-author Ananda Nidhi, an Impact Fellow at the Exeter Centre for the Circular Economy and CE-Hub of NICER program, said, "By adopting circular economy principles, the UK solar industry can enhance resource security and reduce reliance on often volatile global supply chains by prioritizing the reuse and recycling of materials within the UK.

• Read More