SM Prime taps solar power for Xiamen mall

PROPERTY developer SM Prime Holdings Inc. has harnessed solar power for its shopping mall in Xiamen, pioneering such strategy in this city in the Fujian Province of China, citing a commitment to reduce greenhouse emissions and optimize energy efficiency in its malls.

SM Prime announced on Monday that it had built a 1.1-megawatt rooftop solar power project in its Xiamen mall, the first and the most mature shopping mall in the group’s growing portfolio in mainland China.

The project involved the installation of 3,740 solar panels on the roof of SM City Xiamen. Phase 1 and Phase 2 (SM Lifestyle Center), with a total investment of 13.2 million renminbi (RMB) or $2 million. The total capacity of the SM Xiamen Rooftop Solar Power Project is1,100 kilowatt peak (KWp).

The average generated electricity of the project is estimated at 1.1 million kilowatt hour (KWh) per year.

The total generated electricity of the 25-year life cycle will be approximately 27.5 million KWh.

Aside from SM City Xiamen, SM Prime has introduced a thermal energy storage plant in SM City Jinjiang.

This ice-based cooling system fosters a large reduction in the mall’s utility and energy bills and greatly optimizes energy efficiency. Inquirer