Israel's Record Solar Year: Tel Aviv Leads

Record‑breaking rooftop boom in 2023

Israel installed a historic amount of rooftop solar power in 2023, topping previous years by a wide margin. According to the Electricity Authority, total new capacity reached a level well above previous years. The surge reflects falling panel prices, generous net‑metering rules and a growing public appetite for clean energy.

Tel Aviv emerges as the clear front‑runner

Tel Aviv led the country in new rooftop installations, registering the highest number of new systems and the largest cumulative capacity added in 2023. This places Tel Aviv ahead of other municipalities, cementing its reputation as Israel’s most solar‑savvy urban area.

Haifa takes second place

Haifa was the runner‑up, installing a substantial amount of new rooftop capacity in the same period. The Jerusalem Post noted that Haifa’s strong performance stems from a combination of municipal incentives and a high proportion of residential owners opting for medium‑size systems. While still behind Tel Aviv, Haifa’s growth rate was among the fastest of the top‑five cities.

Why the jump? Cost, policy and technology

Three forces converged to drive the record year:

• Panel prices kept falling – global module costs continued to decline in 2023, making a typical 10 kW home system cost about ₪31,500 (≈ ₪3,150/kW) in Israel.
• Net‑metering remains generous – residential producers receive the full retail tariff of approximately ₪0.48/kWh, ensuring quick payback.
• Flexible and high‑efficiency modules – new‑generation flexible panels and bifacial modules boosted yields, especially in sunny southern districts.

What it means for Israel

For a typical homeowner in central Israel, a 10 kW rooftop system would generate roughly 17,000 kWh per year. At the residential tariff of ₪0.48/kWh, that translates to about ₪8,160 of annual savings. With a ₪31,500 upfront cost, the simple payback period is around 3.9 years, after which the system continues to produce clean power for the remainder of its 25‑year life, avoiding roughly 8.5 t of CO₂ each year. Homeowners can run the calculation themselves on our solar ROI calculator or compare regional yields on the market data page.

Outlook: toward the 2030 renewable target

The strong 2023 performance puts Israel on a solid trajectory toward its 30 % renewable electricity goal for 2030. Continued panel price declines and potential storage incentives are likely to accelerate adoption further.

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All figures are drawn from publicly released data by the Electricity Authority, Makor Rishon, The Jerusalem Post and Globes.