The Epicenter chain of shopping centers plans to install solar power plants on the roofs of its shopping centers with a total area of up to 1 million square meters, which will provide up to 30% of the chain's energy needs, the company's press service reported.

"This is a project that is unique in its scale; previously, none of the Ukrainian retail companies has installed such powerful solar power plants for their own needs. We are installing modern panels that can generate electricity for up to 40 years. The total capacity of the five plants that have already been put into operation is almost 6,000 kW, which is equivalent to more than 1 million of 5W light bulbs," Anhelina Burlakova, Branch Director of the Electrotechnical Department at Epicenter, was quoted in a press release.

According to the company, the first 10,000 solar panels have already been installed in five shopping centers: three in Kyiv and two in Vinnytsia. They were installed in a short time to get maximum efficiency in the current summer period. According to Epicenter estimates, the operation of the first five power plants will reduce CO2 pollution by 2 million tonnes per year.

The company plans to equip shopping centers with solar panels in the process of construction or reconstruction.

In addition, it is planned to place them at other enterprises, including logistics centers and production facilities. Thus, at the development stage there is a project to install solar power plants on the roof of the Epicentr Ceramic Corporation ceramic tile factory in Kalynivka, Kyiv region. The estimated payback period of the project is 3.5-4 years, or less in the event of a further increase in the cost of electricity.