ICC Sydney to host Southern Hemisphere's largest CBD solar

The International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney will host the largest rooftop solar installation of any central business district in the Southern Hemisphere. The New South Wales government announced the expansion of the government-owned centre's existing solar network to cover more than 18,400 square metres.

This expanded array is estimated to generate 2.6 gigawatt-hours of electricity each year. When combined with power purchased from other renewable sources, it will allow ICC Sydney to operate on 100% renewable energy.

New South Wales Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said the project demonstrated how urban areas could unlock more renewable generation by using existing building rooftops. "Hosting the largest solar farm of any CBD in the Southern Hemisphere will help the ICC to reduce emissions and energy costs while also strengthening Sydney’s competitiveness in attracting major international conventions and events," Scully stated.

Based on its projected annual generation, the expansion will position ICC Sydney as the fourth-largest solar-powered convention centre globally. The New South Wales government said it will be the largest such facility outside the United States.

The broader potential of Sydney's rooftops

The ICC Sydney project, while significant for a single venue, represents a small part of the broader potential for rooftop solar across metropolitan Sydney. A 2025 report from engineering consultancy Arcadis, produced with several partners including the Committee for Sydney and Endeavour Energy, explored this larger opportunity.

That report found a coordinated Sydney Renewable Energy Zone could see rooftop solar photovoltaic systems across the city generate up to 21 gigawatts. This output could meet up to 75% of Sydney's annual energy demand if systems were installed on every suitable residential, commercial, and industrial roof.

Currently, metropolitan Sydney has about 3 gigawatts of rooftop solar capacity. This meets only 10 to 12 percent of the city's total electricity demand. The Arcadis report highlighted industrial warehouses as a particularly underutilised asset, given their large roof area relative to their energy consumption. In some cases, these roofs could generate up to 500% of a building's own power needs.

Australia's 'missing middle' for solar

The gap between potential and actual uptake of commercial and industrial rooftop solar extends well beyond Sydney. Separate analysis from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) has identified this segment as a "missing middle" in Australia's solar deployment.

The IEEFA found that Australian businesses have installed only a fraction of the rooftop solar they could, despite favourable economics. The ICC Sydney project exemplifies the type of individual commercial investment that remains underexploited at a national scale. Large buildings with high energy demand and substantial roof area are precisely the customer profile the missing middle analysis identifies as underserved.

The project sits within the Convention, Exhibition and Entertainment Centres operated by ICC Sydney. It shows how individual buildings can lead while a vast metropolitan opportunity remains largely untapped.