China’s solar exports hit an all-time high in March, as countries stockpiled ahead of an expected price increase and those most exposed to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz scrambled to find alternative energy sources.

Chinese solar exports doubled from the previous month to reach 68GW in March — equivalent to Spain’s entire solar capacity — according to the think tank Ember. Africa and Asia, both heavily dependent on fossil fuel imports from the Middle East, together accounted for three-quarters of the increase. Both regions are also investing more in domestic manufacturing and assembly: Chinese exports of cells and wafers overtook panel exports in October 2025, Ember said.

Clean technology is, in other words, increasingly acting as a reliable substitute to fossil fuels in times of energy crisis. Ember’s latest electricity report found that record solar generation growth in 2025 was enough to displace gas-fired electricity equivalent to all LNG exports through the Strait of Hormuz last year, while the global EV fleet displaced 1.8 million barrels per day of oil demand, roughly 13% of US crude oil production.