- An Eastgate Shopping Centre mall in Johannesburg has set a record for the largest rooftop solar installation in Africa.
- The management and property owners, Liberty Two Degrees, of the shopping centre explain that it began this journey in 2020
An Eastgate Shopping Centre, a mall in Johannesburg, has set a record for the largest rooftop solar in Africa. In recent years, several shopping malls, business parks, and university campuses have invested in rooftop solar power to better handle the impact of ongoing load-shedding in South Africa.
Now Eastgate Shopping Centre says it is home to South Africa’s largest registered rooftop solar installation, which is set to be completed in the third quarter of 2024. The management and property owners, Liberty Two Degrees, of the shopping centre explain that it began this journey in 2020 when the first phase of the solar system was commissioned.
This first phase of rooftop solar consisted of a 1 MW [AC] or 1.219MWp solar power installation, which resulted in an energy savings of 1,910 MWh in 2023.
The mail management noted that since then, as part of its second phase, the mall has expanded its renewable energy capacity by adding a 5 MW [AC] or 5.997MWp solar power installation. The mall now has almost 13,675 solar panels, which equates to 35.04 per cent of the energy required to run Eastgate’s daily load, generated through solar energy.
It goes on to note that the rooftop solar installation covers most of the mall roof space, approximately 28 100m².
“This whopping system represents Africa’s largest registered rooftop installation, when considering both phases combined generate a total of 6MW [AC] or 7.216MWp in solar power,” management boasts.
“This is a significant achievement attributable to a collective effort from our property team, professional consultants, and service providers, as well as through our tenants’ support and cooperation. L2D prides itself on collaborating with the best in the industry to achieve its Net Zero Carbon targets.
What also makes this achievement noteworthy is the fact that due to the reduced reliance on the grid, Eastgate will see an estimated reduction of 10,9 tons of CO² emissions per year, for both phase one and two combined,” adds Melinda Isaacs, L2D’s Developments executive.
“Eastgate is one of few centres in its catchment area that is currently fully functional during load shedding. The expanded use of renewable energy will ensure that the popular centre will continue to provide a meaningful space for its visitors, whether they need to shop, eat, pay, bank, access services or be entertained at any of its over 200 retailers,” management concluded.
While South Africa is currently without load-shedding, when it does return, Eastgate Shopping Centre will be clearly better equipped than most to handle any energy crisis.