Woree Plaza

Woree Plaza is a small shopping centre near Cairns in far north QLD. The centre operates an embedded network and sells electricity to the tenants in the centre. The embedded network allows the centre to gain large market status, buying electricity at a cheaper rate than being a small market customer. Woree Plaza can then sell energy to tenants at cheaper rates than the tenants could secure on their own. The Centre is currently experiencing huge energy price increases, which also increases the energy bills for their tenants.

 

The pressure of such increases has led Woree Plaza to reduce their daytime consumption of the entire site. Solar is a perfect fit. Bruce Bennetts, General Manager, engaged Smart Commercial Solar after researching which company installed his local Bunnings Warehouse. The Plaza embarked on collating 3 quotes as part of their due diligence, finally awarding Smart Commercial Solar the project as the most cost effective and detailed solution.

 

The 200kW system will offset the consumption of the entire site by 24% and will be financed over 5 years. Over the 5 Year term, the project is cash flow positive and will therefore has zero impact on Woree Plaza’s day to day cash flow operations. Once the system is paid off, the solar system will then generate free electricity for the site and the benefits could be passed onto tenants through reduced rent or fees. Solar not only reduced energy costs for Woree Plaza, it is part of their marketing to new tenants.

 

Future tenants sign a lease knowing that the operational costs of the business will be lower due to solar. Essentially, an embedded network creates strength in numbers and is a much smarter way to run a multi tenanted development. Installing solar into an embedded network provides benefits to every tenant, and the building owner.