In addition to SES shopping centers MURPARK in Graz (2018) and WEBERZEILE in Ried (2020), the operator has recently installed a third photovoltaics system on the roof of one of its shopping centers: Since mid-June, MARIANDL shopping center in Krems, Lower Austria, which is operated by SES, has been producing its own environmentally friendly solar power. The center will be able to utilize approximately 85 percent of the solar power it generates for itself, and the surplus energy will be fed into the public grid. The operator, SES, has been committed to generating its own electricity for years and uses hydroelectric and solar power to do so.

The 266-kWp photovoltaics system, which is comprised of 700 solar panels that cover an area of around2,000 square meters on the roof of MARIANDL in Krems, will generate around 267,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity for the company’s own use in the future, thereby reducing CO₂ emissions by 64 tons per year*.

“Sustainable action has been part of the corporate DNA of SES for a number of years. MARIANDL marks the third shopping center at which we have put a photovoltaics system into operation, continuing the path that we have been on for decades,” says Christoph Andexlinger, COO of SES.

Third Photovoltaics System Installed at an SES Center
The new system located atop MARIANDL Krems is the third photovoltaics installation to be operated by SES on the roof of one of its shopping centers and brings the total area on which energy is generated through photovoltaics to 7,400 square meters: As early as 2018, SES installed a photovoltaics system on the roof of MURPARK Graz, which generates approximately 170,000 kWh of electricity. In 2020, the operator’s largest photovoltaics installation to date was connected to the grid at the WEBERZEILE shopping center in Ried, where approximately 500,000 kWh of solar power is generated each year for the operator's own use, resulting in an annual reduction in CO₂ emissions* of around 128 tons.

Electricity Generation via Hydroelectric Power Plant at SILLPARK Innsbruck
SILLPARK in Innsbruck also covers nearly half of its electricity requirements by means of its own small hydroelectric power plant. With the addition of MARIANDL Krems, four of the Austrian shopping center market leader's sites now generate their own renewable energy from solar or hydroelectric power.

100 Percent Procurement of Green Electricity in Three Countries
When it comes to the purchase of electricity, all 17 SES shopping destinations in Austria have been sourcing 100% green electricity for a number of years. In addition to SES shopping centers in Austria and Italy, all SES shopping centers in Slovenia have been powered by 100 percent green electricity since 1 January 2022, including the e-filling stations located there. In total, 26 of the 30 SES shopping locations already exclusively use green electricity. The remaining four will be gradually converted.

A Sustainable Path to Be Consistently Followed
SES is committed to operating all 30 of its shopping destinations in an environmentally friendly and resource-conserving manner. To that end, the company has adopted a clear energy policy that begins with sustainable construction and extends to massive investments in environmentally friendly energy and energy-saving measures at its shopping destinations.

For the operation of its 30 shopping destinations, SES has implemented a wide range of environmental protection measures, including a complete switch to LED, demand-controlled ventilation (air quality), a switch to 100 percent renewable energy sources, heat recovery, and the expansion of electromobility. The expansion of photovoltaics, with the specific goal of producing solar power on 50 percent of available roof surfaces by 2050, is a key area of focus. It comprises all roof areas that are not used as parking decks, terraces, or leisure hotspots.

Certified Energy Management System
In 2019, SES introduced an energy management system in accordance with ISO 50001:2018 for its Austrian centers, INTERSPAR stores, and Maximarkt locations within the SPAR Group, which was successfully certified by TÜV AUSTRIA in 2019.