Black Bear Energy's origins stretch back to Torbin and fellow Black Bear Energy co-founder, executive vice president and chief procurement officer Kim Saylor-Laster's experiences developing their firstenergy.
Are shopping malls the future of energy management?
Shopping malls and similar venues present attractive, big-time opportunities as potential sites for grid-connected solar power, energy storage and intelligent, highly energy-efficient facilities management.
Do shopping malls need energy storage systems?
Usually, shopping malls are connected to the medium voltage (MV) grid and benefits of discounted and advantageous tariffs. However, they may vary considerably from country to country. The transition from fossil fuels to low-carbon technologies, mainly through RES generation, might require a wide utilization of energy storage systems (ESS).
We will show how the shopping mall can support the transition from fossil fuel to low carbon generation, through the combination of (i) retrofitting solutions to decrease the energy demand, and (ii) the use of on-site renewable energy and (iii) the flexibility provided by energy storage.
Both photovoltaic and wind generators directly produce electricity, and they are applied mainly to meet local needs. However, a shopping mall is also characterized by a significant heating and cooling demand that could be fulfilled through renewable energy resources.
Why do shopping malls use PV-Bess?
When the demand is completely covered and the battery is fully charged, the PV overproduction is injected into the grid. One of the main reasons motivating the use of PV-BESS in shopping malls is the intention to increase the exploitation of on-site renewable energy, while decreasing the amount of power taken from the grid.
How can shopping malls contribute to sustainable mobility?
A further application of the energy storage system is, in combination with a RES (reasonably a PV system), electric mobility. This can be a further positive driver for the transition from fossil fuel to sustainable energy where shopping malls can play a central role for sustainable mobility.