The International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney is set to become home to the largest central business district rooftop solar farm in the Southern Hemisphere under plans unveiled by the New South Wales government.
The government-owned venue will expand its solar panel array across the roofs of its Convention Centre, Exhibition Centre, and Entertainment Centre.
Once complete, the urban solar farm will cover more than 18,400 square metres and generate 2.6 gigawatt hours (GWh) of clean electricity annually, enough to power roughly 300 to 400 average Australian homes each year.
The infrastructure upgrade will allow ICC Sydney to run on 100 per cent renewable electricity, achieved through a combination of on-site solar generation and power procurement agreements.
The expansion positions ICC Sydney as the fourth-largest solar-powered convention centre globally based on annual generation, and the largest outside the United States.
Environmentally, the project is projected to abate between 1,800 and 2,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, equivalent to the absorption capacity of approximately 100,000 mature trees.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully praised the initiative as a model for urban renewable potential.
“This is a great example of how we can unlock greater renewable energy generation and use in urban areas and power a vibrant city by taking advantage of building rooftops,” Scully said.
“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.”
ICC Sydney CEO Adam Mather-Brown said that environmental credentials have become a key decision-making factor for global event organisers.
“As international event organisers increasingly prioritise sustainability in venue selection, this project further strengthens ICC Sydney’s position as one of the world’s leading sustainable convention, exhibition and entertainment centres,” Mather-Brown said.