By Lloyd Heinrich, CEO & Founder, MetroElectro · May 2026
Last week I was at Caribbean Park when Victoria’s Shadow Energy Minister David Davis announced the Coalition’s plan to establish urban solar parks targeting commercial and industrial rooftops in Melbourne and across Victoria as a major source of renewable electricity generation.
I sat in on sessions with David alongside energy experts Bruce Mountain from the Victorian Energy Policy Centre and Stephanie Bashir of Nexa Advisory. The core argument is hard to argue with: Melbourne’s commercial and industrial rooftops represent millions of square metres of flat, largely unused space sitting under the Australian sun every single day. Urban solar parks would harness that potential, generating clean power close to where it’s consumed, reducing grid pressure and cutting energy costs for businesses.
What can commercial and industrial rooftops in Melbourne actually generate?
The Coalition’s modelling suggests urban rooftop solar could supply up to 25% of Victoria’s total energy demand. That’s not a fringe estimate, it reflects serious analysis from the Victorian Energy Policy Centre. As coal generators close and electricity demand rises, generating power locally from existing rooftops is increasingly the fastest, lowest-conflict path to reliable, affordable energy.
How MetroElectro activates Melbourne’s rooftops with no upfront cost
MetroElectro provides capital free solar and storage for large commercial and industrial buildings across Melbourne. We fund the system, manage the installation and handle ongoing operations building owners and tenants access cheaper, cleaner energy from day one, with nothing to pay upfront.
Whether the Coalition wins in November or not, urban rooftop solar is now firmly on Victoria’s energy agenda. If you own or manage commercial or industrial property in Melbourne, talk to us about what your roof could do →
