The Clearwater Mall in the South African Strubens Valley powers itself using solar energy from its own rooftop PV plant.

Johannesburg / Neckarsulm, 13. January 2015 – A typical shopping- and leisure-centre in the densely-populated Province of Gauteng has switched over to solar power. The tried-and-tested Powador 60.0 TL3 solar PV inverters by KACO new energy supply the electricity.

In Strubens Valley, on the western outskirts of Johannesburg, one attaches great value to comfort. That includes the Clearwater Mall with over 250 shops, restaurants, cinemas and sports studios… in short: a shopping- and excursion-centre for the whole family. Naturally, it is all air-conditioned. It becomes immediately obvious that it is coupled with a veritable demand for electricity. And it is precisely on this point that the management of the Clearwater Mall have taken an exemplary step forward: Since November 2014 a 500 kW PV system on the roof of the shopping boulevard is harvesting electricity from the South African sunshine for self-use in the mall.

The solar experts from Solareff (Pty) Ltd built the 4,000 m² array in just seven weeks and installed nine Powador 60.0 TL3 solar PV inverters by KACO new energy for the reliable conversion of energy. Jaco Botha, the Managing Director of Solareff, calculates that they will deliver 843,000 kWh annually to the Clearwater Mall. In that way, they are not only helping the Mall to cut its electricity bill, but also to avoid about 900 tons of CO2 emissions.

For Christoph Heinermann, Managing Director of KACO new energy South Africa, the project sets, above all else, a perfect example of commercial self-use of solar energy: ″The Clearwater Mall shows how on-site energy supply works today. From the experience that we have made here, we are also developing complete solutions for new commercial development contractors, so that they can base their electricity concept on photovoltaic from the outset″.

About KACO new energy:

KACO new energy is amongst the world's largest manufacturers of solar inverters. With 850 employees and offices in 16 countries, the company offers inverters for every array size from the smallest homes to the largest solar farms of hundreds of Megawatts. KACO new energy is based in Neckarsulm, near Stuttgart, Germany and the production facilities there, in the Americas and Asia have supplied approx. 7 Gigawatts of inverters since 1999. The Company was the first inverter manufacturer to achieve fully carbon-neutral production and is rapidly heading towards power self-sufficiency. KACO new energy also supplies energy storage systems and battery inverters, as well as inverters for combined heat and power plants and CPV systems. KACO new energy is celebrating the Centenary of the original company in 2014.

Solarpanels

Sunny shopping with solar power: Underneath this 500 kW PV plant life is bustling in the Clearwater Mall in Strubens Valley, near Johannesburg. The solar power serves the needs of the mall's approximate 250 shops.