There are acres and acres of sweet, flat rooftop space in Walmart, Target, and other box stores. There are many uses for that sheet metal prairie, but solar farms may be the best.
According to a new report from Environment America, big box stores could provide enough solar power to power 8 million homes. This is a no-brainer when you think about the math.
There are a lot of big box stores in the U.S. There are more than 100,000 superstores in the country, which means about 670 million square feet of rooftop space. The report uses data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to estimate how much of the area could be used for solar panels. A fully equipped space could save more than 52 million metric tons of carbon dioxide.
This year's figures for possible electricity generation are 9% higher than they were seven years ago, thanks in part to improvements in solar technology, rather than more big stores being built.
Wade Wilson, an author of the report, told the Washington Post that there is massive potential for big-box stores to produce solar. We need to start using the big rooftops that need to be taken advantage of.
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It would help the U.S. reach its clean energy goals and save stores money by installing solar. The report found that by installing solar panels upstairs, big stores could save half of their yearly electricity use.
Some chains will benefit more than others. Walmart has three times more solar capacity than Target, according to the report. Home Depot was ranked third for solar potential. It's also important where you are. The states with the biggest amount of roof space are California, Florida, Texas, Ohio, and Illinois. The first three states have some of the best solar power generating potential in the country, making this even more of a slam dunk.
Stores have already taken the hint. According to the report, Walmart and Target are two of the four companies that have the most solar capacity installed in the U.S. Walmart has installed solar panels that are making a difference. Up to 30% of each building's electricity needs can be provided by the company's California stores.
Box stores could be turned into solar farms and set an example for the rest of the country. Local opposition to the use of space is one of the emerging barriers in getting large-scale solar off the ground. It is hard to imagine any opposition to making that big, old Walmart a little bit more useful.
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