Fortress generates 100 million kWh in solar power

Fortress Real Estate Investments has reached a significant sustainability milestone, having generated 100 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of renewable energy since launching its first rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) installation in 2017.
 
This total output, equivalent to 100 gigawatt-hours (GWh), reflects Fortress’s commitment to sustainability, energy resilience, and operational efficiency. For context, this volume of clean energy could power approximately 9,000 urban homes or 28,000 rural homes for an entire year. Since the programme began, 9,310 solar panels and 401 inverters have been installed. The area covered by these panels is 205,000m² – equivalent to 30 rugby fields – and represents almost one-third of Fortress’s total retail portfolio GLA.
 
“This is a major accomplishment for Fortress,” says PC Potgieter, Head of Sustainability. “Our strategy is about more than solar installations. It’s about building an environmentally friendly, efficient, and cost-effective operational model that supports tenants and enhances shareholder value.”
 
Growing renewable infrastructure
As of 30 June 2025, Fortress operates 96 solar PV systems, including sites in Poland and Romania, with a total installed capacity of 35.49 MWac. By December 2025, Fortress aims to add an additional 10 plants, bringing the total number of installations to 116 with an installed capacity of 37.71 MWac.
 
Renewable energy penetration is projected to increase from its current level of 18% to 24% by June 2026.  “Solar remains the biggest element in our energy strategy,” adds Potgieter. “It’s not only a cost saver but also a strategic buffer against grid instability and rising electricity tariffs.”
 
In addition to solar, backup generators have been installed at 32 retail centres, with a further 3 centres planned for installation by June 2026.
 
Smart utilities, smarter operations
Fortress is also transforming utilities management through smart metering and in-house data platforms. Smart meters have been installed at 79% of the retail portfolio (30 centres), and another three centres are planned for installation by June 2026. These meters offer near real-time data on consumption and energy mix (grid, solar, diesel), enabling operational benchmarking and efficiency gains
 
Smart metering is managed entirely in-house, providing Fortress with full control over data, enabling faster decision-making, and offering tenant-friendly digital dashboards.
 
Water resilience measures
To complement its energy strategy, Fortress is investing heavily in water resilience:
1)Thirty retail centres now have backup tanks that supply water for up to three days during outages.
2)On-site borehole systems support 14 properties
3)Innovative water-saving technologies, such as Propelair toilets, have been successfully piloted to reduce water consumption at malls. These will now be rolled out at further selected assets.

Potgieter highlighted that, “the associated water saving, which we estimate to be in the order of 135 000kl, is enough to sustain 375 houses for a year.”
 
Offsite renewables: 10-Year wheeling deal
Fortress’s renewable energy extent goes beyond its own rooftops. In 2024, the company signed a ten-year wheeling agreement with Discovery Green, starting from Q4 2026. This will provide clean energy to 14 Fortress properties supplied by Eskom, covering at least 70% (and up to 100%) of the electricity demand not supplied by on-site solar systems. 
 
“This is a crucial step in achieving our 2030 decarbonisation goal of cutting our Scope 1, 2, and 3 carbon footprint by 45% compared to our 2018 baseline,” said Potgieter.  
 
Battery energy storage systems (BESS)
 
We observe stronger business cases for BESS solutions following the recent decrease in battery costs and tariff hikes. These business cases remain sensitive to load profiles and current tariff structures. Battery systems are preferred for optimising returns based on time-of-use tariffs, rather than for backup power, which generators are favoured for,” explained Potgieter. 
 
Several feasibility studies are currently underway, and Fortress has initiated three BESS installations.
 
What’s next
With much of the infrastructure now established, Fortress is shifting its focus from installation to optimisation: “It’s not just about how much solar we’ve installed,” Potgieter concludes. “It’s about how effectively we manage the systems we’ve built. We’re saving money, reducing risk, and improving our environmental footprint. That’s good for our tenants, our communities, and ultimately, our shareholders.”