Power outages can be frustrating for anyone, and they can occur in even the most well-established infrastructures, such as due to storms or damage to power lines. But when the infrastructure is less developed, and users need electricity to ensure their safety, income, and sanitation, outages can literally be deadly.
In South Africa for example, provision of power to remote locations has continued to be somewhat erratic, inconsistent, and worrisome, due to gaps in the infrastructure needed to support reliable electricity grids. Even in metropolises like Cape Town, residents cannot always count on the power staying on, as noted by a dentist who reported the difficulties created by being unable to fill cavities or perform root canals each time the lights went out.
For these consumers, the promise and appeal of solar technology are incalculable. Today’s solar panels can provide electricity across widespread and remote areas. Unlike the small, single panels of the past, which could power individual lanterns or light single rooms, current products have the capacity to electrify entire buildings, apartment complexes, and shopping malls.
China is at the forefront of such recent developments in solar technologies and capabilities, and it accounts for a sizeable majority of global production. Seeking to move beyond domestic markets for panels and batteries, Chinese manufacturers have actively sought out customers in global markets. When shifting tariff policies made it difficult to sell their products in the United States and Europe, these producers strategically turned their attention to expanding opportunities in South Africa, where within the past five years, 10 percent of residents already have adopted solar technology. Beyond just South Africa, more than half a billion people living throughout the African continent currently lack reliable electricity access, such that the potential for a vastly expanded market is clear. Solar use seems likely to spread quickly; Chinese solar exports already have risen exponentially.
Currently, only Nigeria rivals South Africa in its demand for solar, but Algeria is close behind. In countries with smaller populations, like Chad and Sierra Leone, active government efforts have expanded solar access to substantial percentages of their residents. For example, nearly half of Chad’s population has adopted solar technology, and more than 50 percent of Sierra Leoneans use solar power. In addition to encouraging consumer adoption, governments have expressed interest in building plants to manufacture solar equipment, whether those plants are run by domestic firms or rely on partnerships with Chinese providers.
In response, traditional energy companies in various countries are chasing solar opportunities, shifting resources away from coal production and toward more renewable sources. In South Africa for example, an energy company called Eskom has begun outfitting its mining sites with solar panels. It also announced a goal of shifting its overall focus to provide mainly green energy options within in the next 15 years.
This rapid expansion arguably cannot come fast enough. The poorest regions of Africa still lack sufficient resources and access to solar. Manufacturers need loans to finance new factories to produce solar materials; consumers need support to be able to purchase and install panels that can increase their access to steady electricity. As China expands and strengthens its partnerships across the continent though, the chances of such positive outcomes look more and more sunny.
Discussion Questions
- What are some long-term implications of China’s dominance in providing solar materials throughout Africa?
- What are some incentives that African governments might can use to expand both production and consumer purchases of solar capabilities?
Sources: Somini Sengupta, “China Finds Buyers for Surplus Solar: Africa’s Energy-Hungry Countries,” The New York Times, August 26, 2025; Edith Mutethya, “China Earns Expert Praise for Support in Africa’s Energy Shift,” China Daily, February 15, 2026; Somini Sengupta, “Cheap Solar Is Transforming Lives and Economies Across Africa,” The New York Times, December 30, 2025.