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Press Release
#BringSolarHome: At Climate Week NYC, GSC Renews the Call for 300 Million Solar Homes
At Climate Week NYC, GSC Renews the Call for 300 Million Solar Homes.
September 21, 2026 – New York | Today, at the start of New York Climate Week, the Global Solar Council (GSC) alongside Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, Solar Citizens and Climate Parliament reintroduced the 300 Million Solar Homes initiative a global ambition to accelerate the deployment of customer-sited solar systems to 300 million by 2030, representing approximately 2 TW (2,000 GW) of solar capacity serving homes, apartments, small businesses and community buildings.
The 300 million target is a call to governments, cities, finance providers, industry and civil society to accelerate deployment and unlock more affordable, reliable and locally generated energy — echoing the same moment last year, when GSC used New York Climate Week and UNGA to launch its expanded mandate on solar and storage.
An estimated 150 million solar home systems could be operating globally by the end of 2026. Under current conditions, this could reach around 225 million by 2030 — leaving a gap of 75 million systems that stronger policy, finance, permitting, grid connections and locally led programmes are needed to close.
The initiative covers customer-sited solar systems of approximately 0.3 kW to 100 kW, spanning homes and apartment buildings, balcony and plug-in solar, small businesses, and schools, clinics and community buildings, with or without storage.
"Rooftop solar and storage puts cheaper, cleaner and more secure energy directly into the hands of households and communities." — Heidi Lee Douglas, CEO, Solar Citizens
Reaching 300 million systems could represent approximately 1.8–2.1 TW of distributed solar capacity, supporting jobs in installation, manufacturing, maintenance, sales, distribution and finance. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, solar PV already supports 7.1 million jobs globally.
Upfront costs remain a barrier for many households and businesses, particularly in developing economies. GSC points to consumer loans, leasing, guarantees, aggregation and lower-cost capital as tools to turn demand into installations, alongside consumer protection, accredited installers and quality standards to build trust.
"The Climate Parliament is delighted to collaborate with the Global Solar Council to support the 300 Million Solar Homes ambition. Solar energy represents our best chance to avoid the worst consequences of the climate crisis, and it’s already winning in the marketplace. Rooftop solar plus storage is the cheapest energy source in the world and can be deployed very quickly. It can help lower the cost of living while providing economic and social benefits, as well as resilience to climate impacts. This partnership between the solar industry and a leading network of legislators seeks to generate political momentum and step up the pace of the solar revolution." — Sergio Missana, Secretary-General, Climate Parliament.
There is no single pathway to 300 million solar homes. GSC is calling on countries and cities to develop programmes suited to their own energy systems and local needs — including national solar targets, faster permitting and grid connections, clear rules for solar, storage and electricity exports, consumer finance and protection, workforce development, and bulk purchasing and demand aggregation.
300 Million Solar Homes is built around a simple ambition: a world where more people can generate, manage and benefit from their own clean electricity. The goal is not simply to install more solar — it is to make affordable, reliable and locally generated energy accessible to more households, businesses and communities worldwide.
300 million solar homes. The future of affordable energy. #BringSolarHome
About Global Solar Council
The Global Solar Council (GSC) is the united voice of the solar industry worldwide. As a non-profit trade body, our vision is to create a fair and sustainable world with solar at the heart of a new energy economy. Driven by our passion for a cleaner, more just world, we work as a community to ensure everyone's voices are heard, advocating for swift progress to be made in the battle for the climate. We advise governments on the pressing issues central to the solar transition, including finance, grids, skills, sustainability, and supply chains.