Installation of ‘solar roofs’ on homes jumped 30% last year, ministry says

The installation of solar systems on residential roofs to provide electricity jumped by 30 percent last year, according to data from the Electricity Authority, published by the Energy Ministry.

Around 8,400 systems were installed in 2025, compared with 6,500 the year before, with the pace picking up from the summer months onwards. In a record-breaking November, nearly 1,000 solar roofs were installed.

By year’s end, there were 40,000 solar roofs. The Energy Ministry is aiming for 100,000 by 2030.

Israel has long used solar energy to heat water. The new figures relate to replacing these old systems with panels that produce electricity (and can also be used to heat water). Electricity that is not used is sold to the Israel Electric Corporation.

The vast majority of solar roofs on residential properties are on private homes. However, most Israelis live in apartment buildings, where at least 66 percent of the owners must agree to pay for installing a system. At present, a tenants’ committee cannot secure loans from banks and only a handful of apartment buildings have a solar roof.

Among local authorities, those with large numbers of private homes recorded high uptakes. Beersheba, in the south, led, with 1,257 residential roof systems, followed by Meitar and Eilat, also in the south, and Beit She’an, in the northern Jordan Valley. Also notable were Pardes Hanna and the Druze town of Daliyat al-Karmel in the north, Lehavim in the south, and central Modi’in-Maccabim-Re’ut.