Boom time for Chinese solar makers as Middle East oil crisis drives demand

ClimateNewsBoom time for Chinese solar makers as Middle East oil crisis drives demandExports in March were equivalent to Spain's entire solar capacityStuti Mishra Thursday 23 April 2026 01:00 BSTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover{"translations":{"comments":"Go to comments","share":"Share","copyLink":"Copy link","bookmark":"Bookmark","removeBookmark":"Remove bookmark"},"showComments":true,"showBookmark":true,"articleId":"b2962654","articleMeta":{"url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/solar-energy-growth-iran-war-oil-gas-crisis-b2962654.html","title":"Boom time for Chinese solar makers as Middle East oil crisis drives demand"}}CloseYour questions answered on solar panelsSign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planetGet our free Climate emailGet our free Climate emailEmail*SIGN UPI would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice{"className":"sc-1ge0fwe-0","newsletterData":{"regSourceNewsletter":"IND_Climate_Newsletter","regTitle":"Independent Climate","subscriptionGroup":"climate","subscriptionGroupId":"5a7ac7c1-5f39-48c0-8ee8-0b8e43b9e451","type":"climate_change","pathPrefix":"/climate-change","associatedAuthors":["Stuti Mishra"],"title":"Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet","mobileTitle":"Get our free Climate email","imageSrc":"https://static.independent.co.uk/static-assets/images/newsletters/climate1_1.png","description":"Sign up for news and advice on saving the planet","label":"I would like to receive morning headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts by email","newsletterKey":"receiveClimate","regSourceSection":"News","regSourceMethod":"NSCs"},"isClimate":true}Chinese solar exports doubled in a single month to reach a record high in March as the energy crisis sparked by the US-Israeli war on Iran accelerated demand for alternatives to oil and gas acros...