Brits Mall will soon boast more than double its solar power capacity. Brits Mall owner Resilient announced in August that it will reduce reliance on Eskom and municipal services.
The solar installation at the mall will be expanded from 1,44MWp to 3,94MWp. Resilient said local authorities have been slow in implementing the amended
regulations relating to solar installations announced by the President. However, approval by the Madibeng municipality has been received.
Resilient owns 27 retail centres and has been an industry leader in solar and battery installations and has been proactive in ensuring uninterrupted trading at its centres during periods of loadshedding. In partnership with its tenants, Resilient has installed 167 in-store battery systems to date. In addition, several tenants have been connected to reliable backup generators.
To date, Resilient has invested R564 million in solar and battery installations with a further R463 million approved and included in capital commitments.
Resilient said the roll-out of solar installations and batteries is central to its strategy of managing operating costs which will ensure the competitiveness of its malls and benefit its tenants. “Although battery installations are capital-intensive, the benefits are compelling. These benefits include arbitrage, peak-shaving and loadshedding mitigation.”