All business enterprises in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, will be required to install solar panels under a new directive issued by Mayor Rustam Emomali.

The city authorities have instructed the relevant departments to ensure that solar panels are installed at businesses across the capital, regardless of ownership structure, Qazinform reports.

The measure expands Dushanbe’s existing solar energy requirements, which already apply to new high-rise residential buildings, universities and other educational institutions.

Since April 2024, a total of 1,530 projects involving these types of buildings have undergone expert review.

The initiative in Dushanbe comes as Tajikistan advances plans to expand its renewable energy capacity.

The government has signed an investment agreement to construct two solar power plants with a combined capacity of 500 megawatts (MW). The facilities are planned for the Asht district in Sughd region and the Jayhun district in Khatlon region.

The projects are part of the country’s broader efforts to diversify its energy sources and increase the use of renewable power.

Under Tajikistan’s Green Economy Development Strategy for 2023-2037, the government aims to increase renewable energy capacity to 10,000 MW and transition entirely to zero-emission electricity generation by 2037.

The new directive in Dushanbe extends the push for solar energy beyond residential and educational buildings to businesses across the capital, making commercial properties part of the city’s wider renewable energy drive.