Menomonee Falls, WI — Kohl’s Department Stores will expand its solar program by nearly 25% in 2012, installing solar panels at approximately 30 additional Kohl’s locations.
Menomonee Falls, WI — Kohl’s Department Stores will expand its solar program by nearly 25% in 2012, installing solar panels at approximately 30 additional Kohl’s locations. While some of the new solar sites will be in states such as California, Connecticut and Maryland where Kohl’s already has a solar presence, additional sites will be located in new solar states for Kohl’s, including Massachusetts, New York and Ohio. On average, the solar panels will supply 20% to 50% of each store’s energy. Construction of the solar panel arrays on the first phase of stores began this spring. Once the installations are complete by the end of 2012, Kohl’s expects to have more than 150 solar locations across 13 states.
“After adding 20 solar locations in 2011, we’re pleased to continue growing our solar program in 2012,” says John Worthington, Kohl’s chief administrative officer. “Not only do our solar locations provide an immediate cost savings to Kohl’s, they serve as examples of our environmental commitment in action. As a national retailer with more than 1,100 stores, we consistently challenge ourselves to find new ways to reduce the operational footprint of our facilities, to be more energy-efficient, use fewer resources and be a good neighbor in the communities where we do business.”
Kohl’s launched its solar program in 2007 with the installation of solar panels at its Laguna Niguel, Calif., store. The company has continued to expand the program to additional locations over the last 5 years where it is feasible and provides a cost savings. Currently, Kohl’s is one of the largest single hosts of solar electricity in North America and has more than 120 solar locations, including its Milwaukee photo studio and San Bernardino distribution center — the company’s largest solar panel array. With the completion of Kohl’s 30 new locations, the company’s portfolio of solar sites will produce more than 74.2 million kWh of energy annually — equivalent to preventing greenhouse gas emissions from 10,032 passenger vehicles or the carbon dioxide emissions from the electricity use of 6,380 homes for a year.
Through the on-site energy generation at Kohl’s solar locations, two wind locations and the purchase of renewable energy credits, Kohl’s offsets more than 100% of its conventional companywide energy use. The company continues to purchase renewable energy credits to offset the energy consumption of new stores and corporate locations and made a 2012 renewable energy purchase of more than 1.5 billion kWh. In recognition of these efforts, Kohl’s was named a Green Power Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2011, 2010 and 2009. The company also has more 700 ENERGY STAR-labeled locations — more than half of the company’s stores — with a goal of achieving 800 labeled locations by 2015.
For more information, visit www.KohlsGreenScene.com.