Sunshine on malls

Nowadays, we see it all over the news and the web that we need to ‘Go Green’. Our environment is deteriorating due to green house gas emissions; for use of coal, the carbon footprint is increased which is causing high temperatures and rise in water levels.

 

Use of solar energy is one of the right paths to control all these problems. One of the biggest users of electricity is malls and they have the space and the infrastructure to get solar energy panels installed and save the planet. Amidst the hue and cry for environment conservation, the retailers like Wal-Mart and Kohl in the west have already opted for solar energy for power generation. Time has come now for the Indian retailers to give a serious thought to it.

 

How it works?


Malls have been there in India for a decade now, and what catches our attention is that despite bright sunlight coming through the insulated glass panes, the inside remains cool. But there is a possibility of using these windows as mirrors which can reflect light into fibre optic cables and that light can be used to power the same mall. Also, in India we have a tropical climate, so there is abundance of sunlight, the primary resource for solar energy.

 

Malls initiative


Solar Energy panels rest on the roof of the building and since malls have huge structures there shouldn’t be a problem in setting up the apparatus to store solar energy. Then why is this delay happening? “The main reason why solar panels are not been put on malls even after knowing that they have the required infrastructure is solar panels are still not economically feasible and hence the speed at which it is being implemented is very slow”, opines Mr Nirzar Jain, GM, Oberoi Mall.

 

Common man’s role


It’s the common people’s awareness that can bring about this change. In UK a petition was filed by the inhabitants that solar energy conservation is mandatory in all super markets. It’s high time that Indian legal system also steps up the measures for the initiative and makes the Indian retailers do the same. Mr Manoj Agarwal, Associate VP (Operations), Inorbit Malls, which has already put solar panels in their Pune mall, is extremely passionate about the idea; he says, “People should prefer to buy products (even at a little premium) of those brands which actively use solar energy directly or indirectly in their manufacturing and in their retail operations. The Government should work towards developing norms and then should insist retailers to display an eco-star rating of their products much like the star rating systems in case of home appliances, etc. And also, make it mandatory for all corporates to report their carbon footprints, which should reflect in their financial reports and other related official documents”. That will surely put all retailers in an uncomfortable position!

 

Government aid


In any initiative, it serves as a cherry on the top of a cake to save money. The US Government has an aid for retailers - no retail sales tax if a retailer is going the eco-friendly way by putting solar energy panels, and also when they are upgrading their equipments. This surely is a great opportunity and should be implemented in India as well. Ours is a developing economy and we are subject to change and having these kinds of policies here would make this positive change faster. Agreeing to this point, Mr Jain says, “Electricity bills are a huge expenditure for malls. This initiative is encouraging, and malls and retailers could shift gradually if adequate incentives are provided by the Government. It will serve as a win-win situation for all.” Generally, diesel-run generator costs around Rs 14 per unit, but solar energy cuts down this amount considerably, informs Dr Bibek Bandyopadhay, Advisor & Head, Solar Energy Centre, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The long-term investment requires the instalment of photovoltaic system. The cost depends on the scale of uses, he adds. He also reveals that the Government is coming up with subsidised rates to advocate the use of solar energy.

 

Problems at hand

 

It’s not easy to implement the new technology. There are many difficulties that are faced, like sourcing, climate and infrastructure. Same is the problem with the implementation of Solar Energy Panels in malls. Pointing many such problems Mr Agarwal reveals, “The cost of the technology, and having limited vendors for the panels to be sourced from are big disadvantages, and lastly high amount of frequent day to day care is needed in terms of cleaning and monitoring of storage cell efficiency thus making it a little more demanding in respect of care and maintenance, especially in a dust prone country like ours.”

 

What’s the future like?


The future is very positive. If all the malls and big retailers are ready to step up and work on this issue collectively, it would surely do well to the environment and also to us. But there are other concerns and the biggest of all being the presence of adequate infrastructure to support this initiative across India. Taking the side of noted infrastructure developers,

Mr Jain says, “Good property developers are sensitive to environmental concerns. The construction material and technology utilised is judiciously selected to give the best output in terms of energy efficiency, greater safety, and least damage to the environment.”

 

The truth is now people are aware and they want the change quick. Its high time, mall developers should be on their toes and revolutionise for the better.

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