Solar power is transforming African economics

Solar power generation has gone from almost nothing in 2019 to roughly 10% of South Africa’s electricity-generating capacity, reports the New York Times.

“China has driven the prices of solar panels so low it’s really rock bottom at the moment,” Charl Gous, president of  solar systems installer Aces Africa, told the NYT.

Solar imports from China rose 50% in the first 10 months of 2025, according to the energy tracking company Ember.

In the past five years, South Africans has installed solar panels representing more than seven gigawatts, or about a tenth of the total installed capacity of 55 gigawatts. Most is privately owned

China is bidding on contracts worth $25 billion from the state-owned utility, Eskom, to add about 8,700 miles of transmission lines and then operate them commercially.

Eskom is under financial pressure as more and more South Africans install solar and no longer use Eskom’s coal-generated electricty. Even deputy electricity minister Ms. Graham-Maré, installed a solar system in her home. Her energy bill, she said, fell by two-thirds.