Walmart Will Deploy Solar Panels on 60 More Stores in California

September 26th, 2011 by Glenn Meyers

Walmart will add solar panels to 60 California stores

A commitment to renewables like solar energy is working quite well for Walmart. The retailer has announced it plans to expand its renewable energy rooftop solar electricity program by additional solar panels to another 60 stores in the state of California.

Kim Saylors-Laster, energy vice president for the company, said Walmart has reduced its energy expenses by nearly a million dollars through its solar energy program.

In addition, she says the solar panel green energy program will avoid producing about 21,700 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year. Translated into petroleum calculations, this amount is roughly equivalent to eliminating 4,100 cars annually.

When completed, Walmart’s total solar commitment in California is expected to create about 70 million kWh of clean, renewable energy per year. That amount represents enough energy to power some 5,400 homes.

The amount of electrical energy provided by he solar panels is expected to meet 20 to 30 percent of each facility’s total electric needs.

“California presents a great opportunity for Walmart to make significant progress toward our sustainability goals by installing solar power on more than 130 store rooftops throughout the state,” said Kim Saylors-Laster in the press announcement. “Walmart has reduced energy expenses by more than a million dollars through our solar program, allowing us to pass these savings on to our customers in the form of everyday low prices.”

Photo: Walmart

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Tags: Kim Saylors-Laster, reducing electrical expenses, reducing greenhouse gases, renewable energy for California retailers, Walmart, Walmart stores in California

About the Author

Glenn Meyers is a writer, producer, and director. Meyers was editor and site director of Green Building Elements, a contributing writer for CleanTechnica, and is founder of Green Streets MediaTrain, a communications connection and eLearning hub. As an independent producer, he's been involved in the development, production and distribution of television and distance learning programs for both the education industry and corporate sector. He also is an avid gardener and loves sustainable innovation.

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Anonymous

Probably this should get more attention.

Walmart, who screws over its employees, holding many to 25 hour weeks so it won’t have give them health insurance and underpays its female managers is a corporate a$$hole.

If Walmart, who cares for nothing but profits, is installing lots of solar on its rooftops there must be a financial advantage with solar.

Walmart isn’t likely to be installing lots of solar for green-cred. I doubt that Walmart’s customers care that much about how green Walmart is, they’re going there for the prices.

If solar was costing Walmart money they wouldn’t be installing.
- Anonymous
  
  Hear! Hear!
  
  Obviously… but then again, what’s obvious to some doesn’t seem to be obvious to too many people.