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Rosebank Mall’s New Microgrid Powers Through Load Shedding and Cuts Costs

Published

2 months ago

August 14, 2025

Chiraag

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South Africans know the frustration of load shedding all too well. But in Johannesburg’s Rosebank, one shopping mall has just unveiled a pioneering energy system that could set a new standard for keeping the lights on while lowering costs.

A First for South African Retail

This week, Rosebank Mall activated a first-of-its-kind retail-scale hybrid microgrid in South Africa, and one of the largest in the country. The system does not just offer backup power. It also stores cheaper off-peak electricity to use during costly peak hours, a strategy known as energy arbitrage. This allows the mall to cut expenses while keeping every shop trading through power cuts.

The setup’s battery system alone can run the entire mall for two hours. With its upgraded dual-fuel generators, blending natural gas with diesel, uptime extends significantly while reducing fuel use by more than 50 percent.

Smart, Sustainable and Cost-Effective

Hyprop’s national utilities manager, Jacques Vosloo, described the project as “a bold new way of managing energy in a retail environment.” The system combines a 7.2 MWh battery, a 4.5 MW inverter, and advanced generators, all managed by smart controls that adjust in real time.

General manager Muhammad Varachia believes the project marks a turning point in South African retail infrastructure, offering both resilience and relief for tenants. Lead contractor Energenic and battery supplier Freedom Won confirmed the system was custom built and delivered in only eight weeks.

Greener Power with a Bigger Purpose

By blending natural gas with diesel and using AI-enabled monitoring to detect leaks or tampering, the system lowers emissions while improving reliability. Egoli Gas’s Darius Booyens called it “part of a bigger picture that supports a greener future,” showing that profitability and sustainability can work together.

For Joburg shoppers and retailers, this development proves that innovation can provide practical solutions to one of the country’s biggest challenges. In a city where power cuts are part of daily life, Rosebank Mall’s microgrid shows what is possible when necessity drives creativity.