Global Solar Council and Global Mayors organisation unite to scale rooftop solar in cities worldwide

The Global Solar Council (GSC) and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM) have announced a new global partnership to help city leaders rapidly scale rooftop solar and battery storage, unlocking cheaper, cleaner and more reliable power for communities worldwide.

The partnership, announced at GCoM’s 10th anniversary celebration at Guildhall, London, will connect city leaders with solar industry expertise, practical tools and global networks to help scale distributed clean energy where it matters most: in homes, schools, businesses and community facilities.

GCoM is the peak body for 14,000 cities across 150 countries taking action on climate change. They will partner with GSC in a global effort to rapidly expand rooftop solar and battery storage to 300 million homes and small businesses by 2030.

The partnership will support a dedicated stream of work with Mayors, with an initial focus on high-growth regions across Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa, helping mayors turn climate ambition into practical, financeable local action.

Sonia Dunlop, CEO of the Global Solar Council, said:

“Cities are where the energy transition becomes real - on rooftops, power bills, in local jobs, and everyday lives of residents. Mayors and local leaders are on the frontline of this change, and they have a unique opportunity to help families and small businesses benefit directly from clean energy. We want to support mayors to unlock that opportunity at scale.

“It took the world 70 years to reach 150 million solar rooftops. Our aim is to double that in the next four years. We are thrilled to partner with the Global Covenant of Mayors to help achieve that vision.”

The new partnership comes at a time when people are facing growing pressure from rising energy costs, climate impacts and increasing electricity demand. Local governments play an important role in how solar and storage systems are deployed, through their influence on planning, approvals, procurement, public buildings and trusted community partnerships.

Rooftop solar paired with battery storage can help cities reduce peak demand, use surplus daytime energy more effectively and protect residents from volatile energy prices. They are also particularly well suited to local government leadership because they can be deployed directly on the buildings and facilities that shape everyday urban life.

By bringing together GCoM’s vast city network and implementation platform, GSC’s industry leadership and technical expertise, and other alliance partners at national and global level, the initiative aims to transform successful city-led solar and storage projects from isolated examples into a coordinated global movement.