Could China's solar panels help meet Africa's energy needs?

From Algeria on the Mediterranean coast to landlocked Zambia in the south, countries across Africa have been importing significantly more solar panels from China this year than in the past, which analysts say could be the start of a massive effort to help meet the continent’s power demands with renewable energy instead of fossil fuels.

Does China Export solar equipment to Africa?

Rodger Bosch/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images China’s solar exports to Africa are surging. Over the course of the past year, Chinese companies shipped out solar equipment to a vast range of countries on the continent, according to an analysis of Chinese export data by Ember, an energy tracking group.

Are Chinese solar companies supplying Africa's solar demand?

Since Chinese solar companies have significant price advantages over manufacturers in other countries, they are always the go-to option for supplying Africa’s solar demand. There are two types of demand driving the solar boom in African countries, Echard says.

Will solar panels increase power generation in Africa?

“The volume of solar panels imported over the past 12 months has the potential to significantly increase power generation in many African countries,” Ember’s report said. It’s part of China’s global ascendance in the manufacture and sale of renewable energy technologies.

Why are Chinese solar panels so expensive?

The price of Chinese panels has fallen sharply because of overproduction of solar equipment inside China. Chinese firms desperately need new markets. African countries offer huge ones. More than 600 million people on the continent lack access to electricity.

Where are solar panels coming from in Africa?

In North Africa, countries like Algeria and Egypt are building massive utility-scale solar power plants that require large numbers of panels. But in Sub-Sahara Africa, the panels are being imported by more rural communities in places that traditionally haven’t been connected to the grid at all.