Tara Murray
More than 6000 solar panels have been installed on Watergardens’ rooftop as the centre focuses on using more reliable and clean energy.
A partnership between the centre’s owners QIC and Yurika Energy, has seen 6132 panels installed, including solar technology and a 24/7 system monitoring.
Watergardens centre manager Joe Galea said he was excited to see the solar technology bring on-demand, reliable and clean energy to the centre.
He said the solar panels will generate approximately 2777MWh of electricity per annum, enough to power 298 homes for a year.
“This solar technology brings clean energy to Watergardens and will provide significant relief to the energy network in the surrounding community,” he said.
“The technology will reduce Watergardens’ carbon emissions by 2,442 metric tonnes of CO2 annually, which is the equivalent of removing 392 passenger vehicles from our roads each year.
“As one of the first QIC-owned shopping centres to leverage Yurika’s solar technology, we are looking forward to being able to access reliable, clean energy whenever it is needed.”
Yurika acting executive general manager Carly Irving said Yurika was proud to have partnered with QIC to install the solar panels.
“The partnership we have in place with QIC for Watergardens and their other shopping centres is quite unique in Australia, because we are partnering as experts in each other’s field.
“Yurika is bringing all of its expertise in the safe deployment of energy technology in support of QIC, their tenants’ businesses and customers.
“This partnership is about both lowering the cost of energy and improving the environmental performance of large shopping centres.”
Watergardens is one of the first five QIC-owned shopping centres to have the Yurika technology installed.
