Case Study
AstraZeneca
Project II
Project Size:
300kW Solar Car Shade
With Smart, global pharma giant AstraZeneca is continuing to add to one of Australia’s most impressive onsite clean energy setups at their Macquarie Park campus. After completing their first commercial solar car shade in 2023, they partnered with us again to add a second structure that would unlock additional solar generation.
This latest installation continues a long partnership with AstraZeneca, where our focus remains the same: deliver a high-quality system that fits smoothly into daily site operations through confidence, careful planning and minimal disruption.
This time, we used a modular, prefabricated design to lift speed, safety and certainty. Combined with their existing rooftop solar and Car Park 1 canopy, the site now hosts 1.435MW of behind-the-meter generation.
Total Solar Deployed on Site: 1.435MW
Prefab Pods: 63
EV Chargers: 6 x 22kW AC
Installation time: 5 weeks
“Modular canopies are safer because most of the work happens off site. There’s less time at heights and less time operating in a live car park, which means a smoother, safer build.”
Shaun Wells
Senior Project Manager, Smart Commercial Solar
THE SOLUTION
Together with our fabrication partner, Canyon Solar, Smart delivered a 300kW prefabricated canopy where most of the work happened off site in controlled factory conditions. This meant a clean, efficient installation, a shorter program and far less time spent working in a live car park.
As Will Beaumont, Founder of Canyon Solar notes, their prefabricated system "shifts 80 percent of the work into our factory, which makes installation two or three times faster and much less disruptive for the client."
The canopy incorporated high-efficiency AIKO panels to improve output. The structure also includes improved waterproofing and upgraded panel sealing to support rainwater harvesting.
THE RESULTS
The new solar car shade gives AstraZeneca a practical way to generate more onsite energy at a campus where the roof is already full. The modular build meant the project moved quickly and cleanly, with minimal impact on staff parking and day-to-day operations.
The canopy now supports daytime loads across offices and labs and adds six 22kW chargers to help with the growing shift to EVs on site. The improved waterproofing and hidden cabling have also lifted the overall look and feel of the car park.
Just as importantly, the project showed AstraZeneca a repeatable way to keep expanding their onsite solar footprint. The approach was recognised with the 2025 AIKO Commercial Solar Innovation Award, highlighting the quality, certainty and speed of the delivery.
“For the second installation, we moved to a modular approach to reduce the construction time from four months down to six weeks, while also taking advantage of enhanced design features like improved panel sealing so we can harvest rainwater.”
Nathan Collett
AstraZeneca
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