U.S. Retailers Save with Solar PV & Energy Efficiency

[jpak]

http://www.renewableaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=49104

BJ's Wholesale, Estee Lauder, Kohls, Target, Tiffany & Co., Wal-Mart. From "big box" discount giants to high-end jewelry retailers, solar energy has become big business in 2007. The most recent retail-outfitter to become part of this trend is Macy's, which announced earlier this month it will install solar power systems on 26 stores throughout California.

The trend is welcomed news for U.S. solar manufacturers like SunPower Corp., a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of high-efficiency solar cells, solar panels and solar systems. The company's subsidiary, PowerLight, is under contract to install photovoltaic systems atop the 26 Macy's stores—as well as systems totaling 4.6 megawatts on seven Wal-Mart stores in California.

Building on the momentum of these contracts, SunPower recently announced that the largest investment bank in the U.S., Morgan Stanley has agreed to own—and finance—the solar PV systems that the company is planning to deploy on the Wal-Mart facilities.

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Along with the PV systems, PowerLight is assisting Macy's with energy efficiency upgrades at the 26 stores, including high-efficiency lighting and HVAC systems and energy management systems. According to the company, combining solar power with efficiency will allow Macy's to achieve an estimated 40% reduction in utility-provided energy, almost doubling the impact of the solar power alone.

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[FreakinDJ]

1. Should be a Building Code requirement

All commercial enterprizes above 5000 sq. ft should be required to provided 40% of their lighting load through PV systems

[kestrel91316]

2. Hell, they should provide 90% of their lighting with a combo of

skylights and solar-powered lighting.

And the codes should require MAXIMUM insulation in all new construction. Even though Unka Dick sneers at conservation.....