SM Lines Up 20 More Malls for Rooftop Solar Installations

Integrated property developer SM Prime Holdings Inc. is powering up more SM shopping centers nationwide with solar energy, with plans to install rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in 20 malls next year.

- — Richmond Mercurio

"Currently, 48 of our 88 malls are already with solar panels. For next year, we should be including another 20 on the list. So little by little we'll get there," SM Supermalls president Steven Tan said.

He said one of the challenges for solar PV installation in the group's older malls is that the roofing has to accommodate the weight of the solar panels.

"But as we renovate, as we redevelop our malls, that's an opportunity for us to put in the solar panels. We will be including that as part of our redevelopment," he said.