China exported a record volume of solar components in March 2026, comprising photovoltaic panels, cells and wafers, according to data from the Chinese customs authority analyzed by U.K.-based energy think tank Ember. The 68 gigawatts in solar capacity was a 49% increase from the previous export record, set in August 2025. Experts at Ember attributed the recent surge in demand to rising fossil fuel prices due to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, and China ending tax rebates for clean technology from April 1, which resulted in a 9% cost hike on solar panels from the country. “The volumes exported are absolutely gigantic,” Euan Graham, senior analyst at Ember, told Climate Home News. “We will see over the coming months how much of that was linked to the tax rebate and how much of that is additional demand.” Graph by Andrés Alegría/Mongabay. The solar exports of 68 GW were double the amount exported the previous month, and equivalent to Spain’s entire solar energy capacity. In March 2026, 50 countries set all-time records for Chinese solar imports. African nations were among the countries whose demand for solar components surged. Nigeria’s demand in March 2026 was 519% higher than in February 2026, a total of 1.2 GW. Ethiopia imported 1.1 GW, up 391% from February. Map by Andrés Alegría/Mongabay. Several African nations have been rapidly expanding their solar energy capacity over recent years, as the continent hosts around 60% of the world’s best solar potential. The Central African Republic already generates more than…This article was originally published on Mongabay

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