Nakheel Malls, the retail arm of master developer Nakheel, has joined forces with Total – via its affiliate Total Solar Distributed Generation (DG) Middle East, to install solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on the rooftops of Ibn Battuta Mall and Dragon Mart.
In a statement, the company said that the PV panels can generate around 9GWh of clean energy, with an estimated reduction of more than 3,500 tons of CO2 yearly. Around 12,000 PV panels will be installed at both malls, spanning a total of 35,000sqm, it added.
The partnership agreement was signed in the presence of Omar Khoory, Chief Hospitality and Assets Officer, Nakheel, as well as Marin de Montbel, Managing Director, Total Solar DG Middle East and Mathieu Lauga, Key Account Manager, Total Solar DG Middle East.
“Given a growing global climate focus, it’s critical that governments work with the public and private sector on implementing clean energy solutions within urban planning,” stated Khoory.
“As part of our ongoing alignment with the leadership of Dubai, Nakheel Malls are committed to supporting efforts of the city’s clean energy strategy 2050. We are doing this through our partnership with Total by installing PV Solar panels at Dragon Mart and Ibn Battuta Mall with the aim to support a circular economy,” he noted.
The solar solution provided by Total will help Nakheel Malls reduce its carbon footprint, contributing to the UAE’s sustainable development efforts, the statement added.
According to de Montbel, Total Solar’s mission is to enable its customers to meet their sustainability goals by cutting their carbon footprint through photovoltaic rooftop systems and carports.
“Our solar rooftop project in partnership with Nakheel Malls is part of our commitment to address climate challenge by providing more energy with less emissions. It is fully in line with both our long-term growth strategy and our ambition to become a world leader in renewables.
The project is set to commence this month while the shopping malls will remain fully operational throughout, with little to no disruption to customers, he concluded.