Solar Program Updates

18 March 2019

We are pleased to provide an update on the solar installation at Elizabeth City Centre.

Works have been completed on our 2.6 megawatts (MW) capacity rooftop solar system, which is already generating clean, renewable energy and we are now focused on completing the solar shaded car parking.

We have recently experienced some unexpected delays with the car park works. Additionally, some elements of the project have been completed off-site, so work could be paused to accommodate the busy festive period.

Work has now recommenced on the car park solar installation and we look forward to its completion in the near future.

When completed, our 5.8 megawatts (MW) total capacity solar system will provide numerous benefits to customers and centre retailers, including a new source of clean, renewable energy, comfortable solar shaded car parking and a positive environmental impact.

We will continue to share updates as we work towards project completion and wish to thank all our customers, retailers and community members for your continued patience and co-operation as we create an intelligent energy destination of the future at Elizabeth City Centre.

4 July 2018

We’re getting solar ready at Elizabeth City Centre with the first solar panel installed this week as part of phase one of the Vicinity Solar Program. The project is significant for South Australia, as on completion, Elizabeth City Centre will be Australia’s largest shopping centre single solar installations at 5.8MW. Pictured below are Glenn Hanson, Elizabeth’s Centre Manager, along with Vicinity’s solar delivery partners Beon Energy Solutions.

Australia’s largest investment in solar for shopping centres

Vicinity Centres has revealed Australia’s largest ever investment in shopping centre solar with $28 million towards solar installations at five centres across South Australia (SA) and Western Australia (WA).

Vicinity Centres CEO and Managing Director Grant Kelley was joined by the Premier of SA, The Hon Steven Marshall for the announcement at Elizabeth City Centre on 30 April, 2018.

The entire project, at 11.2 megawatts (MW), will see approximately 39,000 individual solar panels installed and will generate upwards of 17.4 gigawatt hours (GWh) of energy each year - equivalent to powering Adelaide Oval light towers for 3.5 years.

Mr Kelley said the project reflected Vicinity’s focus on embedding innovation across operations including the latest energy storage technology with the installation of a 500 kilowatt-hours (kWh) battery at Castle Plaza in SA.

“The energy generated by the solar and battery systems will be used on-site, reducing reliance on the grid and helping give our retailers and our business a buffer from a volatile energy market,” Mr Kelley said.

The project, which is underway, will create at least 150 highly skilled, local jobs across the five shopping centres during the construction period, with 110 in SA and 40 in WA.

“We are proud to be creating jobs across South Australia and Western Australia and investing in these important states in our shopping centre portfolio.”

"The environmental benefits of the installations are equivalent to removing more than 9,500 cars from our roads and will create enough power to supply more than 3,000 average homes for a year.

Read the full media release here.

Waste management and recycling is an important part of our sustainability program. Our aim is to recycle as much material and send as little to landfill as possible, which reduces our impact on the environment.

To learn more about our recycling systems and practices, view the video below.