Affordable Solar Energy Transforming Africa
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The first evidence of a take-off in solar in Africa is now here: The last 12 months saw a big rise in Africa's solar panel imports. Imports from China rose 60% in the last 12 months to 15,032 MW. Over the last two years, the imports of solar panels outside of South Africa have nearly tripled from 3,734 MW to 11,248 MW.
In the last two years, the imports of solar panels have tripled outside of South Africa. They rose from 3,734 MW in the 12 months to June 2023, to 11,248 MW in the 12 months to June 2025. The increase in imports is more than a single month spike. Monthly imports jumped to a record in December 2024, but have consistently elevated since.
Africa holds vast solar potential, with 60% of the world's best solar resources, yet solar PV currently accounts for only 3% of the continent's electricity generation. As global efforts intensify to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030, Africa's role in achieving this target is more critical than ever.
The vast majority of Africa's solar panels come from Chinese imports. That is because China produced 80% of the world's solar panels in 2024, and is by far the biggest exporter. Africa depends heavily on imports because domestic solar panel manufacturing is still limited.
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