What does it take to build a sustainable city? For businesses, schools, and communities across the Asia-Pacific region, the answer increasingly involves solar energy.

Cities are at the heart of shaping our collective energy future. According to the IEA, the cities of today house half the total global population, but account for two-thirds of the world's energy consumption and more than 70% of carbon emissions. With 70% of the world's population expected to live in cities by 2050, the energy requirements of cities are expected to surge even further, placing pressure on both the electricity grid and sustainability goals.

There is an ever-growing importance on developing sustainable cities. Commercial solar solutions like rooftop solar and solar carports are emerging as popular solutions to rising energy demands, carbon reduction goals, and cost control needs. But how exactly are sustainability leaders in different industries leveraging these commercial solar solutions to tackle the challenges of tomorrow?

Commercial solar plays a key role in developing a sustainable city (Image: Prince Alfred College by EPC Venergy Solar Australia).

How Does Solar Energy Support Sustainable Growth in APAC Cities?

Rapid urbanization is reshaping Asia-Pacific cities, stretching infrastructure, deepening inequality, and increasing emissions. Solar energy tackles these challenges head-on by:

• Strengthening resilience and ensuring stable power supply as existing infrastructure struggles to support rapid urban population growth, with United Nations (UN) estimates pointing to a 50% growth by 2050.
• Expanding electricity access in under-served areas like urban poverty and informal settlements, which are projected to triple in APAC by 2050 according to the UN.
• Minimizing carbon footprint and pollution from fossil fuels use to mitigate climate change risks across Asia-Pacific – one of the most disaster-prone areas globally.

As it increases in cost-effectiveness, solar energy forms the foundation for more sustainable and resilient growth for Asia-Pacific cities.

Solar is a key part of Asia Pacific's urban sustainability strategy (Image: Ballarat Library by EPC brightex).

Commercial Solar in Action: How Australian Cities Achieve Sustainability by Scaling Solar Across Sectors

One solar rooftop or carport alone won't transform a city, but scaling solar across sectors does. When businesses, schools, and public spaces incorporate solar energy, cities cut emissions faster, boost grid resilience, and bring net-zero goals closer to reality.

Australia puts this to practice. The country leads the world in solar energy generated per capita, installed on homes and across different sectors:

• Schools benefit through energy bill savings and by enhancing the next generation's understanding of sustainability. For instance, Prince Alfred College's 400 kW rooftop solar system in South Australia saved about USD $172,000 in the first year of operations and serves as a real-world teaching tool.
• Restaurants & cafés with long operating hours cut costs and boost energy resilience. Brisbane's Archive Beer Boutique in Australia saves 20% of operating costs with its 98.9kW solar rooftop system.
• Carports become productive assets, providing shade while generating solar energy. For instance, AstraZeneca's Macquarie Park carport in Sydney generates 911 MWh of clean energy that powers 16% of the site's energy needs while providing shade for cars.
• Hospitals gain stable power supply for critical services while easing grid pressure and protecting budgets – like how Canberra Hospital saved AUD $500,000 with their 503 kW rooftop solar system.

By adopting solar across different sectors, cities take a step towards urban sustainability (Image: Archive Beer Boutique by EPC Springers Solar).

How Can You Contribute to Your City's Solar Energy Transition?

Building sustainable cities is a collaborative effort, and commercial solar plays a crucial role. From schools and libraries to F&B establishments and other commercial facilities, solar energy enables clean energy generation and long-term savings for individual businesses, while these efforts collectively drive cities towards energy resilience.

As cities continue to evolve, Trinasolar offers a scalable pathway to urban sustainability. Be it rooftop solar and solar carports, our solar modules are designed to perform reliably and deliver long-term value for commercial solar installations across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

Trinasolar's Vertex S+ Clear Black solar modules powering the rooftop solar carport on AstraZeneca's manufacturing facility in Australia (Image: AstraZeneca solar carport by EPC Smart Commercial Solar) Credit: Smart Commercial Solar

The transition to sustainable cities is already happening, one rooftop at a time.

Join the Sustainable Cities Movement with Commercial Solar

1. Discover Trinasolar's industry-leading commercial solar solutions today.
2. Explore commercial solar success stories with Trinasolar modules.