The Ipsos report dubbed, ‘Solar off grid Market Research in Tanzania 2018,’ also found out that there is massive increase of informal agents and retail traders dealing in solar products hence facilitating the supplying of counterfeits and sub-standards products in the market.
Presenting the research finding to stakeholders in Dar es Salaam at a meeting organized by Tanzania Bureau of Standards, Ipsos Country President, Samuel Muthoka said the newly introduced TBS solar quality standards will help to reverse the situation.
“All these brands have not been endorsed by Lighting Africa. This portrays that only 28 percent of the market share goes to associates (genuine brands) Muthoka said.
Going thought the report, Muthoka said that there are 148 different brands of solar products in the local market out of which only 29 are genuine as they have been endorsed by Lighting Africa, a continental standard mark for the products.
The Ipsos Country President however noted that that there are challenges facing both formal and informal solar retailers while shortage of qualified technicians is also wanting hence repairing of faulty solar products becomes difficult especially in rural areas.
Researchers found out that 46 percent of retailers interviewed, said that the biggest challenge they face is that consumers consider them as suppliers of low quality, counterfeit solar products which has undermined consumers trust.
The report also shows that 72 percent of the retailers can’t differentiate between a genuine and a counterfeit product because only 18 percent of them had a minimum of secondary school education while the bulk of them are primary school dropouts.
“But English language is also a barrier for the majority to understand the products which usually bear labels written in the language,” Muthoka noted.
The Ipsos report shows that 39 percent of the people interviewed said they get their solar products through street hawkers as they go from house to house compared to formal agents.
“The majority of them do sell solar home kits and have informal offices where they go to pick the products which they supply consumers. Consumers however don’t care much about quality because what they look for is the product’s ability to generate electricity,” he noted.
TBS Standard Officer and Secretary of the Renewable Energy Technology Committee, Henry Massawe said the new solar quality standards introduced last year are TZS 1951-9-5 and TZS 1952-9-5. He called upon suppliers to make sure that they check the standard marks before purchasing the products.
“We invited almost all stakeholders today so as to inform them about these solar quality standards that we have set hence the need to adhere with them from now onwards,” Massawe advised.
Issa Amir, a Sales Officer from Mudi Brothers Investment which deals in solar products supplying, commended TBS for organizing the meeting solar is important as most of the rural areas are not connected to the national grid hence rely on solar energy.
“With this research, it is evident that there is a big number of solar products in the market that don’t meet the required quality and standards, we need action now to get rid of these products,” Amir noted.
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