African continent turns to Chinese solar

As the Iran war disrupts global energy supplies, countries in Africa and Southeast Asia are accelerating their shift toward renewable energy to counter rising fuel prices. New Chinese consumer data released this week shows a sharp surge in solar panel exports, with shipments to Southeast Asia climbing 75% year-on-year in April. China, the world’s largest producer of solar panels, is also expanding its reach into Africa, where South Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are leading a regional boom in solar adoption. The continent holds 60% of the highest solar energy potential, yet it only generates 1% of global solar power.