How we brought solar to cold, snowy areas
By David Ozment on April 12, 2012 Leave a comment
Walmart is testing renewable energy technologies in a variety of locations and geographies, and when we find something that works – like solar – we go big with it. Our solar program began in warmer climates, including California and Hawaii, and then expanded into Arizona, Puerto Rico and even Louisiana. Until recently, colder, snowy areas eluded us.
Mack Wyckoff on our energy team took the lead in developing an approach to installing solar in states with snow-loading concerns. After working with design, maintenance, solar suppliers, and architectural and engineering firms, Walmart is now live with rooftop solar at six Colorado sites, two of which are in the Denver metro area, and four in New Jersey.
We’ve been able to bring solar to snow-load areas by carefully designing solar layouts that match up with our structural systems, using lighter-weight panels and mounting structures, and developing snow removal lanes and processes.
Many of our store rooftops are blanketed by solar panels – ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 solar panels on the average supercenter – depending on store size, available roof space, weather conditions and geography. Each new solar-generating system produces about 300,000 to 900,000 kilowatt hours of clean energy a year, depending on system size. That’s enough to power up to 75 average homes annually. Smaller systems can provide 10 percent to 15 percent of a store’s electricity needs, and larger systems can provide more than 30 percent of a store’s electricity needs.
The Highlands Ranch, Colo., store was our 100th solar project, and our goal for fiscal year 2013 is to complete another 100 sites.
Here’s how we make solar work in most markets: Our solar projects are typically a power-purchase agreement, which require no Walmart capital. The solar developer installs, owns, and operates the systems, and Walmart purchases the energy produced over a long-term agreement that can stretch over 10 years.
Our goal has been to purchase renewable energy at or below utility prices over the term of the contract. This provides Walmart price certainty on a percentage of the electricity needs and is consistent with our everyday low cost philosophy. That’s why anytime we remodel or expand a store, we look hard at whether we can add a renewable energy project.
We really are learning with each project, and moving toward our goal of being supplied 100 percent by renewable energy. We have a long way to go, but we’re off to a great start with solar. To reach this ambitious goal, it’s going to take several renewable energy technologies. That’s why we have also been been testing fuel cells, micro-wind and large-scale wind. More on that tomorrow in The Green Room, as my colleague, Marty Gilbert, shares his experience pursuing renewable energy for Walmart.
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