Greentech Lead America: Martifer Solar has completed two
solar ine Wstallations for thestfield Group.
The installations, totaling 1.7 MW, are located at
Westfield Topanga and Westfield Fashion Square shopping malls in Southern
California. Both systems utilize rooftop panels, with solar carports built at
Fashion Square.
Westfield selected its Topanga and Fashion Square
facilities as the most suitable for meeting the firm’s sustainability, customer
experience and financial performance objectives.
“I applaud Westfield for their out of the box thinking in
financing this project. Westfield offset more than long term energy
consumption; they recovered 30 percent of the system cost up front through
federal grant money available only to system owners. This transforms the solar
landscape for REITs seeking to take advantage of solar incentives,” said
Martifer Solar USA’s Chief Strategy Officer Kent James.
“A well-developed Alternative Energy Program is one of
the four main strategies of Westfield’s holistic Energy Management Program,”
said Joe Jaworski, Westfield’s Vice President of National Operations.
Martifer Solar has undertaken feasibility studies at
additional Westfield properties throughout the nation.
“These systems are proof of solar power’s commercial viability
to Westfield’s peer companies — which will set the bar for other businesses to
adopt sustainable practices in the near future. Now that we know how profitable
solar can be for REITs, the opportunities are limitless,” said Raffi Agopian,
chief executive officer of Martifer Solar.
Martifer Solar USA has over 200 MW of solar assets
installed worldwide and reported revenues of $400 million in 2011.