Are shopping malls the future of energy management?

Shopping malls and similar venues present attractive, big-time opportunities as potential sites for grid-connected solar power, energy storage and intelligent, highly energy-efficient facilities management.

Do shopping malls need energy storage systems?

Usually, shopping malls are connected to the medium voltage (MV) grid and benefits of discounted and advantageous tariffs. However, they may vary considerably from country to country. The transition from fossil fuels to low-carbon technologies, mainly through RES generation, might require a wide utilization of energy storage systems (ESS).

How can shopping malls contribute to sustainable mobility?

A further application of the energy storage system is, in combination with a RES (reasonably a PV system), electric mobility. This can be a further positive driver for the transition from fossil fuel to sustainable energy where shopping malls can play a central role for sustainable mobility.

Can a shopping mall support the transition from fossil fuel to low carbon?

We will show how the shopping mall can support the transition from fossil fuel to low carbon generation, through the combination of (i) retrofitting solutions to decrease the energy demand, and (ii) the use of on-site renewable energy and (iii) the flexibility provided by energy storage.

Are energy-efficient shopping malls the backbone of the city of Tomorrow?

Despite the fact that overall legislative frameworks and regulations do not promote shopping centers as key energy and social infrastructures to achieve ambitious targets in the ongoing urban transformation, energy-efficient shopping malls massively using RES and ESS can actually become the backbone of the city of tomorrow.

How much energy does a shopping mall consume?

The European average energy consumption is estimated with a value of 272 kWh/m 2 GLAa in 2014 with a predominance of electricity and natural gas energy carriers, as shown in (Bointner et al., 2014). A shopping mall can be generally considered as an “icon of consumerism,” not only for retail activities, but also in terms of energy consumption.