Businesses, it’s time to think on top of the box

Our transition to 100% renewable energy will require all h和s on deck. 而个人, governments 和 nonprofits all have important roles to play, it’s crucial that the business community also lead on environmental protection.

Fortunately, companies are prioritizing clean energy more than ever before. Most large businesses already have basic 可持续发展计划. Many have pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 和 get more energy from renewable sources. While these commitments are a step in the right direction, more must be done. We must ensure that this is the year where plans become reality 和 bold environmental solutions are quickly implemented.

Savvy corporate executives are often known for thinking outside of the box. Current times, however, call for certain companies to think on top of the box.

That’s because the roofs 和 parking lots of big box stores have big solar potential. 最近的一次 美国环境研究所 & 政策中心报告 found that the country’s big box retail 和 grocery stores – think Walmart, 好市多和克罗格可以产生84个.4 terawatt-hours of 屋顶太阳能 electricity each year. That’s enough clean energy to power nearly 8 million average American homes. +, building out the full 屋顶太阳能 capacity on these stores would eliminate more than 52 million metric tons of carbon pollution annually, which would have the equivalent impact of taking over 11.3 million gas-guzzling passenger vehicles off the road. We can’t afford to pass up this amazing potential.

一个日益 受欢迎的 energy source, solar has dropped nearly 60% in average price since 2011 和 panels are becoming more 非常高效。 和 持久的. While renewable energy projects should be encouraged across the board, 屋顶太阳能 is the best way to conserve energy 和 nature. Generating solar electricity at or near the place where it is consumed leads to less wasted electricity, as it doesn’t suffer from transmission line losses. 此外, putting solar panels on structures already built helps conserve more of our beautiful open spaces 和 natural areas.

Installing solar panels at every big box store in America would also help build a more stable, resilient electric grid by producing clean energy right where it’s used. P空气ing solar panels with batteries 和 smart inverters enables buildings to operate independently of the larger grid 和 keep the power on if the grid goes down.

Big box solar would be a boon for these companies’ bottom line as well. The report found that America’s big box stores spend $17.每年花费890亿美元. The total solar energy generated on their roofs could meet 50.7%的电力需求, meaning that once the investment in solar panels is paid off, annual electricity costs would be slashed in half. Examples of the upside to this investment already exist. 例如, Target installed its 500th solar array on site in 2019 和 has been able to offset between 15% to 40% of each location’s electricity needs, 节省大量资金. Walmart has installed fewer panels than Target, but has already saved more than $1 million by going solar.

In addition to the direct savings on electricity, big box stores can attract broader 和 deeper support from customers by walking the walk on local 屋顶太阳能 production. A 德勤研究 found that one-quarter of 消费者 would switch to buying companies’ products specifically because of shared environmental values. By reducing annual costs 和 attracting new 和 more passionate customers, big box retailers can reap significant financial benefits from going big on solar energy.

The bottom line: Installing solar on superstores would be a win for business, 消费者, 网格和环境. Any viable big box location that isn’t covered with a solar array is a missed opportunity, 这是我们在2022年负担不起的. As we transition to 100% renewable energy, big retailers should do their part to make rooftop 和 parking lot solar ubiquitous. 是时候跳出框框思考了.