Iran war drives rooftop solar rush across oil-reliant Southeast Asia

The Iran war has effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, tightening energy supplies across parts of Southeast Asia and pushing up electricity costs while increasing the risk of outages. Households and businesses in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia are moving faster to install rooftop solar systems, with China’s solar exports to the region reaching 5.5 gigawatts in March, more than double the previous year. Even with a preliminary U.S.-Iran ceasefire deal announced, the supply shock has lifted oil prices and reinforced short-term bullish sentiment.