Growthpoint Properties (JSE: GRT) is piloting a 4,5 MW battery system at Paarl Mall to store electricity for its continuous, cost-efficient power supply. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the largest commercial battery installation in South Africa to date, and it will be partly charged by Paarl Mall\u2019s new rooftop solar PV plant, extending the positive impacts of renewable sun-powered energy around the clock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Growthpoint\u2019s R50 million investment in the system continues its push towards carbon neutrality by 2050. Providing sustainable, financially-viable energy solutions to clients, and powering its buildings with clean, renewable sources are key for Growthpoint\u2019s ESG targets. Over more than a decade, Growthpoint has installed 13,5 MW of solar power across its SA portfolio, but this is the first time it is integrating a large battery system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBattery technology has come a long way in recent years. Previously prohibitively expensive, batteries have become increasingly affordable, especially considering rapidly rising electricity prices and our imperative to help prevent costly business disruptions for our clients caused by load-shedding,\u201d says Grahame Cruickshanks, Growthpoint Head of Sustainability and Utilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said Growthpoint\u2019s 42 000 m\u00b2 Paarl Mall is an ideal pilot site to prove how a sizeable battery system linked to a solar plant improves the environmental performance of large shopping centres and lowers the cost of energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Paarl Mall recently undertook an energy-efficient H-VAC upgrade to lower its electricity consumption. Despite substantial energy savings the centre\u2019s electricity bill was set to hike by a hefty R5 million a year because the mall\u2019s decreased load factor meant it only qualified for a more expensive municipal electricity tariff. In light of this, Growthpoint needed to tailor a new solution to provide green energy to the entire mall while ensuring a consistent power supply and optimising energy costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Boasting more than 5 000 PV panels with a direct current capacity of 2,5 megawatts-peak (MWp) and generating 3 601 500 kilowatt hours (KWh) of energy annually, Paarl Mall\u2019s new rooftop solar plant will span a massive 25 000 m\u00b2. Its sealed-container 4,5 MW battery bank battery system, comprising three 20-foot containers with lithium-ion batteries, will be charged from both the mall\u2019s solar power and the grid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The system\u2019s operation, production and yield will be monitored and managed off-site with the aim of optimal energy arbitrage, a technique where power is bought during off-peak hours, stored and used during peak hours. This enables peak-shaving that flattens the electrical load profile of the building. The system has also been designed to accommodate some of the mall\u2019s demand during load shedding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The project\u2019s four-month installation is expected to be fully operational by mid-December..<\/span> Paarl Mall\u2019s solar panels would cover 3.5 football fields.<\/span> The solar and battery technology will reduce the mall\u2019s carbon emissions by 3 601 500 tons of CO2 annually, which is the equivalent of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 removing 2 800 passenger vehicles from our roads each year,<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 22 665 736 507 748 km travelled in an average diesel car, or<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 58 964 trips to the moon..<\/span> The system\u2019s battery life is 15 years..<\/span> The total installed renewable energy capacity Growthpoint plans to install by 2026 is equivalent to planting 25 795 trees.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Growthpoint Properties (JSE: GRT) is piloting a 4,5 MW battery system at Paarl Mall to store electricity for its continuous, cost-efficient power 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