Rooftop Solar Transforms Warehouses Into Power Plants

The article highlights the growing momentum of commercial rooftop solar as a fast, cost-effective way to add clean electricity to the U.S. grid, despite limited federal policy support favoring other energy sources. Vast expanses of flat commercial and industrial rooftops present an untapped opportunity for solar installations. Early market hesitations around costs, permitting, and maintenance have been largely overcome by subscription-style, pay-as-you-go financing models, enabling property owners to adopt solar without upfront burdens. Companies like Solar Landscape, founded in 2012, exemplify this trend by partnering with major real estate firms to lease rooftop space and offer community solar subscriptions, currently managing 800 megawatts across 75 million square feet of rooftops and rapidly scaling up. A significant new development is Solar Landscape’s partnership with SolarEdge Technologies, announced in July, to deploy over 500 commercial rooftop solar projects across multiple states by 2026. SolarEdge’s advanced technology and domestic manufacturing footprint are expected to enhance installation efficiency, power generation