Amid a global slowdown in photovoltaic (PV) shipments, Africa has emerged as a rare growth market for Chinese renewable energy exports.
Original By NLS
Amid a global slowdown in photovoltaic (PV) shipments, Africa has emerged as a rare growth market for Chinese renewable energy exports. According to a new report by UK-based think tank ODI Global, solar and wind now account for 59% of China’s energy projects across the continent. Between 2010 and 2024, Africa attracted roughly 20% of China’s overseas energy investment and renewable energy project activity, totaling $66 billion. Export volumes of Chinese solar and wind technologies to Africa soared 153% between 2020 and 2024, underscoring the continent’s rising demand and China’s growing role as a technology supplier.
A major driver of this growth is Africa’s surging electricity needs, paired with China’s dominance in solar manufacturing—it produces more than 80% of the world’s PV modules. The trend reflects a wider pivot in China’s global energy strategy, moving away from fossil fuel projects.
“Africa’s adoption of Chinese wind and solar technologies reflects both their global competitiveness and the continent’s growing energy demand,” said Elena Kiryakova, a researcher with ODI Global’s Global Risks and Resilience Programme. Africa also stood out in the first quarter of 2025 as the only region to record an increase in PV imports, even as global demand fell 8% year-on-year.
Chinese customs data show that in March, the top five destination countries for solar modules were Pakistan, the Netherlands, India, Brazil, and France, together accounting for about 41% of global shipments. Regionally, exports rose to Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, while shipments to the Americas slipped slightly from February levels.
South Africa and Morocco are leading Africa’s solar boom. South Africa imported 0.41 GW of PV modules from China in March, up 58% from a year earlier and making up 31% of China’s solar exports to the continent. For the quarter, South Africa imported a total of 0.9 GW—by far the largest volume in Africa.