Solar exports from China increase by a third

This report by Ember analyses Chinese customs data from the first half of 2023, detailing a 34% increase in solar module exports. It highlights that while global manufacturing capacity is sufficient to meet 1.5C climate pathways, bottlenecks in installation and grid integration are leading to an accumulation of solar panel stocks in warehouses, particularly in Europe.

• Exports of solar panels from China grew by 34% in the first half of 2023, totaling 114 GW shipped worldwide, compared to 85 GW during the same period in 2022.
• Europe is the largest destination for Chinese solar exports, receiving 66 GW in the first half of 2023 (a 47% year-on-year increase), accounting for 58% of the total volume and 52.5% of the total value.
• Africa experienced the highest percentage growth in imports from China (+187%), largely driven by South Africa, which imported 3.4 GW in the first half of 2023 compared to 0.6 GW in the first half of 2022.
• India saw a significant 76% decline in solar module imports from China, falling from 9.8 GW in H1-2022 to 2.3 GW in H1-2023, as the country prioritizes domestic manufacturing and imposes tariffs.
• Other notable growth regions include the Middle East, where exports rose 64% (+2.4 GW), and Latin America, where imports increased 18% (+2.3 GW). Specifically, Saudi Arabia's imports grew more than sixfold to 2.8 GW in H1-2023.
• Global solar PV manufacturing capacity is expanding rapidly and is not the limiting factor for the 1.5C pathway. China's capacity is expected to grow from 504 GW/year at the end of 2022 to 931 GW/year by the end of 2023.
• A widening gap between module exports and installed capacity has led to stockpiles in warehouses, particularly in Europe where an estimated 40 GW of panels are stored due to permitting, skills shortages, and grid integration bottlenecks.

APA

Hawkins, S. (2023). Solar exports from China increase by a third. Ember. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2023/09/Report_-Solar-exports-from-China-increase-by-a-third.pdf

Chicago

Hawkins, Sam. Solar exports from China increase by a third. Ember, 2023. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2023/09/Report_-Solar-exports-from-China-increase-by-a-third.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Hawkins |first1=Sam |title=Solar exports from China increase by a third |publisher=Ember |date=14 September 2023 |url=https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2023/09/Report_-Solar-exports-from-China-increase-by-a-third.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hawkins2023solar, author = {Hawkins, Sam}, title = {{Solar exports from China increase by a third}}, institution = {Ember}, year = {2023}, month = sep, url = {https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2023/09/Report_-Solar-exports-from-China-increase-by-a-third.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }