As conflict in the Middle East rattles global oil markets and exposes critical shipping routes, China’s long-term investment in an “all of the above” energy policy, including renewables like solar, is beginning to bear fruit. With countries searching for alternative ways to produce energy that are less prone to wars, political tensions, embargoes, and other potential vulnerabilities, solar power has emerged as a smart solution, providing an efficient, low-cost, and abundant source of energy.

Unlike oil tankers or liquefied natural gas shipments, solar panels and battery systems cannot be blockaded in the Strait of Hormuz. Once deployed domestically, they are far less vulnerable to wars, sanctions, piracy, or instability in the Middle East. Countries around the world have started treating these technologies as a hedge against disruptions in traditional forms of energy, which dependence on one source risks creating.