New Initiatives to Add 20,000 Solar Roofs in Arab Communities
Israel's Ministry of Energy is launching a new initiative to install 20,000 solar roofs in Arab communities, aiming to unlock significant untapped renewable.
Jerusalem, 17 May, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure is launching a “unique initiative” to promote a goal of establishing 20,000 solar roofs in Arab communities as part of the “100,000 New Solar Roofs” program that the ministry launched a year ago, intended to lead to a 30% jump in installations by 2025.
Out of a potential of approximately 1,500 megawatts in over 100,000 residential buildings, solar systems have been installed to date in only about 1%; a first pilot in Umm al-Fahm will combine information accessibility, tailored financing, and a personal example from local leadership.
The ministry’s data indicate significant untapped potential: in the 58 Arab local authorities, there are about 110,000 residential buildings, with about 80% of them being land-based and suitable for installing solar systems. The total production potential is estimated at about 1,500 megawatts, but in practice only about 1% of the potential has been realized so far. This means a loss of potential income for households, which represents a rapid return on investment of about 4-5 years and an annual return of over 15%, thanks to the favorable tariff regulation.
Since the launch of the “100,000 New Roofs” program in May 2025, there has been a significant acceleration in installations: approximately 8,400 home solar systems were installed during 2025, an increase of approximately 30% compared to 2024, with the all-time installation record broken in November 2025, with almost 1,000 monthly installations of systems in private homes.
