Big-Box Retail Stores in U.S. Lead Surge in Solar Power Installations
September 13th, 2012 by 
A growing number of major U.S. companies, led by the nation’s largest big-box retailers, are installing rooftop solar power systems to help cut energy costs and increase profits, a new report says.
According to the report, released by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Vote Solar Initiative, more than 3,600 non-residential systems were activated in the U.S. during the first half of 2012, led by retail giants such as Walmart, Costco, and Kohl’s department stores, all of which have sharply increased their solar power installations in recent months.
Among the top 20 U.S. companies by solar capacity, almost half are big-box retailers, according to the report. “Five or six years ago, you probably would have read about a pledge in an annual report about what they’re doing for the environment,” Rhone Resch, SEIA’s chief executive, told the New York Times. “Now what you’re seeing is it’s a smart investment that they’re making for their shareholders, and this is a standard business practice.”
Article appearing courtesy Yale Environment 360.
photo: h080.
|
|
Tags:  business practice Costco energy costs retailers Solar walmart | [ Permalink ] |
a megawatt translates like this…..
panel….24 sq ft…..
watts….240
per sq ft….10
football field…48,000 sq ft
1/2 mw per fb field
so, 1 mw needs 2 football fields of space.
2 football fields measures 320×300 or 160×600
This may help figure how much power a large store can produce.
Solar panel installations are part of a bigger movement of US corporations spending more on sustainability improvements. I think Solar is one of the most obvious and possibly effective ways for corporations to show they are taking action and see the benefits in their monthly bills. So far, it is a win win.
See this article and report from the MIT Sloan school of business for more information http://www.livegreen.cc/2012/08/28/sustainability-spending-steadily-rising/#more-177