China’s solar exports surged to unprecedented levels in March as a global energy shock is pushing countries to rapidly pivot away from fossil fuels.
New data analyzed by Ember shows China exported 68 gigawatts (GW) of solar in March alone – double February’s total and 49% higher than the previous record set in August 2025. To put that in perspective, that’s roughly equal to Spain’s entire installed solar capacity.
The spike comes as global energy markets are being rattled by the US‑Israel war with Iran, which has pushed oil and gas prices higher. Countries are scrambling for alternatives, and solar is clearly at the top of the list.
Fifty countries set all‑time records for Chinese solar imports in March 2026, while another 60 hit six‑month highs. The biggest jumps came in regions most exposed to fossil fuel price swings.
Africa’s imports surged 176% month over month to 10 GW, while Asia doubled to 39 GW – both new records. Together, those two regions accounted for about three‑quarters of the increase in China’s exports.
Some of the country‑level jumps are striking. India’s imports rose 141% (+6.6 GW), Malaysia jumped 384% (+1.8 GW), and Lao PDR climbed 108% (+2.3 GW). In Africa, Nigeria (+519%), Kenya (+207%), and Ethiopia (+391%) each imported more than 1 GW of solar in a single month for the first time, mostly in the form of solar cells.
Other markets feeling the pinch from high fuel prices – including Japan, Australia, and the EU – also set new records. The Middle East was the outlier, with imports held back as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted trade flows.
There was also a short‑term rush to buy ahead of policy changes: China adjusted export tax rebates on April 1, effectively adding 9% to solar panel costs.
Another shift is happening, too. Countries aren’t just importing panels; they’re increasingly assembling them locally. China’s exports of solar cells and wafers have been rising fast and actually overtook panel exports in October 2025.
In March, panel exports rose 91% month over month to 32 GW, while cell and wafer exports climbed 108% to 36 GW.
It’s not just solar. China’s exports of batteries and EVs are also surging as countries try to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.
Solar, batteries, and EVs combined jumped 70% year over year in March 2026 and 38% compared to February, according to Ember’s China Cleantech Exports Data Explorer.
Battery exports alone hit $10 billion in March, up 44% from the previous month, with strong demand in the EU, Australia, and India – all markets with large energy storage pipelines.
The bigger picture here is resilience. Ember’s newly released Global Electricity Review 2026 shows that record solar growth in 2025 displaced gas‑fired power equal to all LNG shipments that moved through the Strait of Hormuz last year.
At the same time, the global EV fleet cut oil demand by 1.8 million barrels per day in 2025 – about 13% of US crude production.
In other words, cleantech isn’t just growing – it’s starting to meaningfully buffer the global economy from fossil fuel shocks.
As Ember senior analyst Euan Graham put it: fossil price spikes are accelerating the shift. Countries are importing solar at record levels while also building out their own manufacturing to keep up with demand.
This is what an energy transition under pressure looks like.
When fossil fuel prices spike, the response is immediate. Countries go out and buy what’s available, and right now that’s Chinese solar, batteries, and EVs.
What’s especially notable is the shift toward local assembly. Importing cells and wafers instead of finished panels means more countries are trying to capture value domestically while hedging against supply chain risks.
The Strait of Hormuz situation is also telling. If a single chokepoint can disrupt global fossil fuel flows, it underscores why countries are rushing toward electrification and local generation.
Clean energy is a vital climate solution, but right now, what everyone is focusing on right now is that it’s a frontline response to geopolitical risk.
Read more: China brings the world’s first 1-GW offshore solar farm online
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Michelle Lewis is a writer and editor on Electrek and an editor on DroneDJ, 9to5Mac, and 9to5Google. She lives in White River Junction, Vermont. She has previously worked for Fast Company, the Guardian, News Deeply, Time, and others. Message Michelle on Twitter or at michelle@9to5mac.com. Check out her personal blog.
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