Industry, innovation, and infrastructure are three unique sectors that depend on each other to thrive. They also all have a common input: energy. 

With energy, farms can be more productive, entrepreneurs can leverage the internet, and communities can pave roads and build bridges. Energy allows communities to grow, and solar energy allows rural, off-grid communities to join the mix. 

An Overview of Goal 9  

Sustainable Development Goal 9 seeks to “build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation.” These sectors are essential for growing economies and supporting safe, healthy communities.   

Industry  

Industries source, produce and manufacture goods that are sold to consumers. This results in economic growth, job creation, and infrastructure development. Solar energy makes industry more productive through: 

• Cost savings. Solar energy is now cheaper than fossil fuels. When industries harness the sun, they profit from energy savings that can be used to expand operations. For small businesses, these savings can be a lifeline. 

• Job creation. Renewables are an industry of their own. Around the world, 13.7 million people are employed in jobs related to renewable energy, and the industry continues to grow. 

• Sustainability. The manufacturing industry is one of the largest contributors of greenhouse gas emissions globally due to the high energy requirements of production. Moving our industries to solar cleans up these industrial processes. 

Innovation 

Energy lays the foundation for greater innovation. When unelectrified communities gain access to solar, local innovation benefits in a number of ways: 

• Internet access. The internet is the greatest enabler of opportunities. When individuals, communities, and businesses gain a digital presence, the world around them opens up. Currently, 4 billion people lack internet access. As energy access grows, so will connectivity. 

• Off-grid systems. Solar energy brings versatile solutions to remote areas. Community-based projects illuminate homes, connect classrooms, and power businesses. Off-grid solutions allow millions of rural people to pursue their ideas and share them with the world. 

• Cross-sector collaborations. Solar energy opens possibilities of collaboration. Electricity is the common thread than can elevate diverse sectors. When a community gains access to power, its businesses can do more alone and together. 

Infrastructure  

As climate change intensifies, infrastructure that’s resilient, sustainable, and inclusive matters more than ever. Solar energy powers diverse, vital sectors including. 

• Transport. Electric vehicles, traffic lights, and public transportation systems depend on energy. Renewables can eliminate the 20% global greenhouse emissions caused by transport. 

• Water and Sanitation. Today, 2 billion people lack access to clean water. Solar energy can power clean water pumps, drip-irrigation systems, toilets, and handwashing stations. 

• Communication. From traditional phone line to remote internet terminals, communication technology needs energy to run. Solar allows rural communities to tap into satellite internet and communicate with the world. 

• Buildings. Modern buildings are constructed with concrete, steel, wood, brick, and glass. The production of these materials heats up the planet. Solar energy lowers emissions in the construction process and makes buildings greener. 

Looking Forward: Solar Energy for Innovation and Infrastructure  

Industry, innovation, and infrastructure form the world around us and support a higher quality of life. Yet climate change warns us that we must prioritize sustainability as our communities grow and develop. Solar power can mitigate emissions in current industrial processes. It can also be deployed in unelectrified communities, creating the foundation for new services and sectors.  

Energy is the foundation. And sustainable energy is the future.