• Humanitarian agencies provide off-grid energy solutions like solar lanterns, streetlights, and home systems to meet energy needs in camps.
• The unregulated discarding of e-waste is amongst the fastest growing waste streams in camps and camp-like settings.
• The humanitarian funding cycle is shorter than the life cycle of procured products. Once devices have been distributed, they are often left to the end-user to maintain and eventually dispose of.
• This can create a risk to human health (e.g., leaking batteries) and the environment (e.g., contamination of groundwater, soil, and air with carcinogenic compounds), negatively impacting long-term development goals.

• In collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM)and Innovation Norway, Solvoz has developed key sustainability criteria for solar lanterns.
• It is recognised that solar lanterns are essential for displaced households, providing basic energy needs and serving multiple functional purposes in displacement settings.
• The work of this partnership recognised that a sustainable lantern must be durable, meet household needs, and have a minimal environmental impact, with a focus on longevity alongside carbon footprint considerations.

• We developed the following key requirements of a sustainable solar lantern
• Matches the lighting need, e.g., to allow children to do homework
• Does not contain toxic materials, e.g., no halogens or toxic heavy metals
• Is of good quality and durable, e.g., can be dropped without easily breaking
• Is repairable, i.e., can be disassembled and parts can be replaced

By integrating these sustainability criteria, our solutions catalogue helps organisations source and procure products that are both functionally effective and environmentally and socially responsible.