Well, while Walmart announced a major solar purchase, this is overshadowed by the even-larger plans that Kohl’s has for its stores. Kohl’s has announced plans to provide solar power for 75% of its California stores. The initial purchase will be for 24 of Kohl’s 80 stores. This one step will be 15% of California’s current solar pv installations and represents one percent of California’s ten-year objective.
Kohl’s initial purchase of solar power will generate more than 35 million kWh of renewable energy. In the first year of operation, Kohl’s clean energy output will offset more than 28 million pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas directly linked to global climate change.
The first installations will be up and running in August with Kohl’s expecting all of these installations to be running by the end of next year. “Each store will get 2,340 solar panels, which will nearly cover the roof of a typical 88,000-square-foot Kohl’s.”
In addition to California, Kohl’s is looking at installations in six other states which, like California, provide favorable incentive environments for the installation of renewable power systems.
SunEdison will be the sole provider to the 
Kohl’s purchase (at least the initial tranche) as opposed to Wal-Mart’s dalliance with three providers (including SunEdison). Jigar Shah, CEO of SunEdison, commented:
“The scope of Kohl’s commitment to domestically produced, clean renewable energy is signified by the size and breadth of their solar program — the single largest purchase of solar energy in U.S. history.”
Wal-Mart … Kohl’s … Think about it. America’s retail industry has an awful lot of flat roof to fill up.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Green man // May 9, 2007 at 9:10 am
Kohls is a department store, not a grocery store!
2 A Siegel // May 9, 2007 at 10:49 am
Green man … thank you … mea culpa … shows what I know about their business … corrected …
3 Kat // May 9, 2007 at 2:21 pm
It’s about damn time. I have been saying for years that if stores covered their stores with solar panels we could power the whole country.
4 CSP: key to cheap solar power? // Dec 6, 2013 at 9:15 am
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