Helen is building Finland’s first solar power plant of over 1 MW on the roof of Elo Shopping Centre

In total, 3,186 solar panels will be installed on the shopping centre roof, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 112,000 kg per year.

“The solar power plant will cover about a quarter of Elo's total electricity consumption. This amount reflects the huge potential of solar energy in Finland. In fact, utilisation of solar energy is not only good from the point of view of sustainability, but it’s also often a financially sensible option, which was the case with Elo,” says Riku Kuikka, Helen’s Product Group Manager.

For Sponda, the solar power plant is a concrete means to improve energy efficiency and increase the share of renewable energy in total consumption. Measures to combat climate change are also one way to respond to the wishes of customers and other stakeholders.

“With our action, we want to meet the global climate challenge and support the achievement of the Paris Agreement and the EU’s climate and energy targets. In addition, municipalities and cities, such as Ylöjärvi, have their own climate goals, and we want to promote their achievement,” says Pirkko Airaksinen, Sustainability Manager at Sponda.

“The power plant will make the Elo Shopping Centre a solar power pioneer in the Pirkanmaa region. It will also help us reduce property maintenance costs,” says very satisfied Timo Matinlompolo, Elo’s Shopping Centre Manager.

“With the solar power plant, Elo’s energy efficiency will also improve significantly. An interesting detail is that the solar panels will reduce the cooling needs of the shopping centre. When a considerable part of the roof is covered by solar panels, the temperature of the roof will not rise as much as before and, consequently, the shopping centre will not get as warm as before,” says Helen’s Account Manager Kari Mustalahti.