The Role of Solar Cooperatives in Clean Energy Development and Collective Income Generation: Global Experiences and Comparative Solutions for Iran

Solar cooperatives play a key role as innovative models in promoting clean energy, reducing carbon emissions, and generating collective income. By analyzing 20 leading global cooperatives and examining Iran’s solar potential (4.5–5.5 kWh/m²/day), this paper shows that these cooperatives can contribute to sustainable development, job creation, and social justice [1, Chapter 2; 2, Table 2.1]. In Iran, barriers such as heavy fossil fuel subsidies ($60 billion in 2020), poor infrastructure, and low public awareness (20%) have limited the development of these cooperatives [3, p. 15; 4, Report 1401/23]. Due to the lack of data, only the “Mirrors of the Sky” cooperative is examined as a case study [5, Report 1402/15]. The study provides policy recommendations, including reforming subsidies, strengthening infrastructure, increasing public awareness, and international cooperation, to align with Vision 1404 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) [6, Goal 7; 7, Paragraph 3.2]. The analyses are based on global experiences and local Iranian conditions to provide a practical framework for the development of solar cooperatives. The paper emphasizes the importance of cooperative models in achieving climate and economic goals and calls for coordinated action by the government, local communities, and international partners.