Chinese solar product exports, including modules, cells and wafers, reached a record 68GW in March 2026, a volume equivalent to Spain’s entire operational solar PV capacity, according to new data from Ember. The figures, which cover monthly exports since the start of the Middle East conflict, show that solar PV exports doubled between February and March 2026, surpassing 60GW in a single month for the first time.

Ember noted that regions most affected by the global energy crisis have seen the sharpest growth in demand for Chinese solar products. India saw the largest export growth to a single country, with shipments increasing by 6.6GW month-on-month, a 141% rise. This coincides with India’s consumer price index climbing to 3.4% in March from 3.21% in February, driven by elevated crude oil prices and limited gas supplies amid the Middle East conflict, which has strained the country’s energy supply.

Africa recorded the largest month-on-month increase in Chinese solar imports among all continents, with exports rising 176% in March. Nigeria led this growth with a 519% month-on-month surge, followed by Ethiopia (391%) and Kenya (207%). All three countries imported over 1GW of Chinese solar PV products in March for the first time, with trade predominantly consisting of solar cells.

The export trends come as East Asian companies, including EliTe Solar and GCL, have launched manufacturing projects in Africa to circumvent costly US legislation on solar exports. EliTe Solar has started operations at a 5GW cell and module facility in Egypt, while GCL has announced plans for its own manufacturing plant in the country.

Upstream components such as cells and wafers now account for a larger share of China’s solar exports. Ember data shows that cell and wafer exports first exceeded module exports in October 2025, and rose 108% between February and March 2026 to reach 36GW.