Greentech Lead America: Walmart has completed the installation of eight new solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays in Massachusetts.
With almost 10,000 panels, the solar PV arrays throughout the state will provide 2.8 million kilowatt hours (kWh) annually, saving approximately 1,484 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions (CO2e) annually – roughly the equivalent of taking 309 cars off the road.
The Walpole store alone will generate more than 380,000 kWh annually, saving roughly 200 metric tons of CO2e per year.
Walmart has been an industry leader in combating climate change by incorporating energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies into their stores, and through their determination to make their suppliers as energy efficient as possible,” said George Bachrach, president of the Environmental League of Massachusetts.
The Environmental League of Massachusetts has received a $30,000 award from the Walmart Foundation to support educational programs. These are teachable moments for young people to learn practical methods for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The United States’ EPA Green Power Partnership program ranked Walmart as the number one on-site green power generator/consumer in the U.S in 2013. Globally, renewable energy projects provide one billion kilowatt hours annually, or about 4 percent of electricity for Walmart buildings.
The grid supplies another 17 percent, for a total of 21 percent renewable electricity as of the end of 2012. Walmart has 280 renewable energy projects in operation or under development, and continues to test solar, fuel cells, microwind, offsite wind projects, green power purchases and more.
Greenskies Renewable Energy is the installer and owner of the system, partnering with Walmart through a power purchase agreement where Walmart buys the electricity produced by the system. For the project, Greenskies used Massachusetts union labor. The inverter for the solar PV array is from Massachusetts-based Solectria Renewables.