Market Pulse｜"Carbon Steel Vanguard" Africa Report

20GW Milestone: PV Momentum in Africa

In 2025, Africa’ s photovoltaic industry reached a milestone, adding 2.4GW of new capacity and exceeding 20GW in cumulative installations for the first time. John van Zuylen, CEO of the African Solar Industry Association (AFSIA), described this achievement as “very positive.” Data shows that by the end of 2025, Africa’ s operational PV capacity had reached 23.4GW.

van Zuylen noted, “Export data indicates that Africa’s PV installations are showing positive and robust growth, which will translate into more projects and higher capacity.” According to AFSIA reports, Africa’ s solar import growth rate currently far exceeds that of most other regions globally. In particular, the increase in imports of Chinese products has altered the solar growth trajectories of many African countries.

“Exports to Africa grew by 17% in 2025, while exports to most other regions declined during the same period. More notably, since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, Africa has consistently been one of the three fastest-growing regions globally. Manufacturers and key stakeholders may not focus solely on absolute numbers but rather on growth trends and positive dynamics.”

Local Roots, Steady Progress

In the context of China’ s deepening involvement in Africa’ s energy transition, Grace Solar is emerging as a key localized partner. Since 2026, Grace Solar has been steadily progressing on a 35MW carbon steel ground-mount project with a long-term African client, providing customized solutions tailored to the local environment.

Building on a solid collaborative foundation and confidence in market prospects, the client has included over 200MW of PV projects in its annual plans. Currently, Grace Solar is working closely with them on overall system design and preliminary planning, aiming to support the construction of large-scale PV bases in Africa with efficient and robust mounting systems.

Toward Africa' s Green Future

The scaled development of Africa’ s PV market is transitioning from “single-component imports” to a new phase of “systematic solution” cooperation. In this process, the role of the Chinese supply chain is no longer limited to product exports but extends to technical adaptation, project collaboration, and long-term services. Through deep local market engagement, Grace Solar provides adaptable and highly reliable products and services.

Looking ahead, as African countries increase their investments in renewable energy infrastructure, demands for sustainable supply chains will continue to rise. Grace Solar remains committed to collaborating with African partners to build a more resilient and efficient PV energy system, injecting long-term momentum into the energy transition of this “Sunshine Continent.”