GreenEnergyForEarth.com – Alternative Energy News and Green Products

Aug 11, 2008 – Stephanie Rosenbloom , The New York Times , “Giant Retailers Look to the Sun for Energy Savings .” Retail department and food stores, especially large chains, are in the process of installing solar panels on their large flat roofs around the country, especially in states that have their own incentives in addition to the federal tax incentives that expire December 31 unless extended by Congress. Most chains have less than 10% of their stores with solar panels, but installation is accelerating. Daniel M. Kammen, an energy expert at the University of California, Berkeley is quoted saying, “… soon retailers will have stickers in their windows saying, ‘This is a green energy store.’” Currently, as an example, the following have installed solar panels on stores [& current plans by year end] Macy’s, 18 [40], Safeway [23], Wal-Mart 17 [5], Kohl’s 43 [85]. Whole Foods, BJ’s Wholesale Club, REI and others have projects underway, with the majority in California, New Jersey and Connecticut, states that offer incentives. “Depending on location and weather, the solar panels generate a10 to 405 of the power a store needs.” Nevertheless, solar power at 25-30 cents/kwh is still expensive compared to coal [6 cents/kwh] or natural gas [9 cents/kwh] generation. This trend is further along in Europe, especially Germany with generous subsidies. A large store installation may cost $4-6 million..