Kohl's to go solar in California

[Kelemvor]

I hope more companies do this. Way to set a good example Kohls.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=596541

It will be largest single purchase of sun power ever, provider says

Kohl's Corp. will convert most of its California department stores to solar power starting next month, the company will announce today.

Kohl's agreement to buy solar power from SunEdison is the largest purchase and deployment of solar power by a single entity in U.S. history, according to SunEdison LLC, North America's largest solar energy service provider.

The Menomonee Falls-based department store chain will generate 35 million kilowatt-hours of domestically produced, clean renewable energy in the first year. In terms of reducing carbon dioxide emissions, that is the equivalent of taking 2,500 cars off the road, according to Ken Bonning, Kohl's executive vice president of logistics.

Kohl's is investigating options for solar installations in six other states, including Wisconsin. The initiative is the result of a study of its energy use that the retailer started two years ago.

"We looked at all areas," Bonning said. "Which would be the place to do it?"

Beltsville, Md.-based SunEdison will install and service the solar power systems, which will send electricity into the power grid, Bonning said. There is no cost to Kohl's for the installation.

In the first year of operation, the solar panels on the Kohl's stores are expected to generate enough clean energy to offset more than 28 million pounds of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas directly linked to global climate change.

In Wisconsin, Kohl's hopes to install solar panels at its stores in Sussex and on the southwest side of Waukesha, Bonning said.

The use of solar power won't save money on electricity for Kohl's initially, Bonning said. But over 20 years, as the cost of electricity goes up, Kohl's expects it will save by locking in the prices for electricity generated by the solar energy system, he said.

Kohl's chose California because it has an abundance of sunshine and an aggressive state program to encourage solar energy use. The other six states where Kohl's may install solar energy systems also have incentive programs for businesses, Bonning said.

California launched the California Solar Initiative this year. Through the program, the state expects to generate 3,000 megawatts of solar power by 2017. Kohl's solar deployment represents about 15% of the state's installations to date. When complete, Kohl's solar deployment will represent about 1% of California's 10-year objective.

Kohl's will begin work on stores in Laguna Niguel and Visalia in May, and is expected to complete those conversions by August. Work at 22 additional stores will follow, and the company is pursuing permits for an another 40 stores. All of those are expected to be complete by the end of 2008. Kohl's has 80 stores in California.

Each store will get 2,340 solar panels, which will nearly cover the roof of a typical 88,000-square-foot Kohl's.

"It takes our roof from being something not very glamorous to being very useful," Bonning said.

In January, Kohl's was fifth on an Environmental Protection Agency list of Top 10 Retail Partners, which recognizes the nation's largest green power purchasers in retail. Kohl's ranks 22nd on the EPA's list of largest national purchasers in the Green Power Partnership.

 

[j00fek]

:thumbsup:

 

[Kaido]

That's pretty sweet. I've heard that Walmart has alternative energy plans as well. I hope that this funnels money into solar power and other technologies so that us consumers can get our hands on inexpensive quality products soon. When I build my house, I want to build a barn in the backyard and line the sucker with solar panels

 

[paulxcook]

This is an excellent first step. I'm not sure who I expected it to come from, but it wasn't Kohl's. But no matter, what matters is that someone is doing it. I hope it's a huge success.

 

[0roo0roo]

flat roof stores should be great for panels.

 

[Kelemvor]

I'd line my house with solar panels in a second if it wasn't so insanely expensive. Right now it takes almsot 20 years to break even on something like that and I doubt we'll be in our house that long. Someday hopefully they'll come down.

 

[aldamon]

Originally posted by: KelemvorRight now it takes almsot 20 years to break even on something like that and I doubt we'll be in our house that long.

Hasn't it always been that way? I don't think I've seen a type of technology stay so expensive for so long.

 

[KLin]

Does that 2500 car figure factor in the CO2 cost of manufacturing the solar panels?

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: Kelemvor
I'd line my house with solar panels in a second if it wasn't so insanely expensive. Right now it takes almsot 20 years to break even on something like that and I doubt we'll be in our house that long. Someday hopefully they'll come down.

yea from what i know you need an assload of panels just to run an airconditioner.

 

[sdifox]

It would be a big boost for solar if Walmart steps in and installs panels on all their roofs. That should bring the price down

 

[ch33zw1z]

The have great stuff at great prices also, this will only make me shop there more. even though i'm on the opposite coast from where they're installing these things

 

[Kelemvor]

Originally posted by: ch33zw1z
The have great stuff at great prices also, this will only make me shop there more. even though i'm on the opposite coast from where they're installing these things

I live about 10 minutes from their corporate headquarters. I'd love to get a job there but they only hire entry level support people for which I'm way overqualified.