Kroger Unveils Solar Energy Systems at Two Smith’s Stores

Albuquerque — Smith’s Food & Drug Stores, a division of the Kroger Co., has completed the installation of photovoltaic energy panels at two Albuquerque stores.

Albuquerque — Smith’s Food & Drug Stores, a division of the Kroger Co., has completed the installation of photovoltaic energy panels at two Albuquerque stores.

The solar energy output from these two store systems is 320,000 kWh, eliminating the need for that amount of energy from fossil fuel sources. It is estimated this energy savings would heat and cool 30 homes in New Mexico for 1 year; is the equivalent of planting 57 acres of trees; or removing 40 cars from the road.

“We have done a lot of work over the last several years to integrate sustainable practices into our everyday business operations,” says Rodney McMullen, president and chief operating officer of Kroger. “Today, we are proud to unveil Kroger’s first operational solar energy project. Smith’s has done a tremendous job bringing this to realization. Kroger will continue reducing energy consumption and testing technologies that support future use of alternative energy sources.”

Smith’s was selected to be among the first Kroger division stores to install photovoltaic panels because of New Mexico’s favorable sunny climate and the economic incentives offered by energy provider PNM towards installation of renewable energy sources. Affordable Solar, based in Albuquerque, designed and installed the panels. Kroger is also developing photovoltaic systems in stores located in Wilsonville, Ore. (Fred Meyer) and Cincinnati (Kroger).

Smith’s has made a commitment to energy conservation within all of the company’s 25 New Mexico stores, most recently having retrofitted walk-in coolers, dairy coolers, meat counters and grocery freezers with LED lighting systems that use 75% less energy than fluorescent bulbs, last longer, and are 100% recyclable.

Kroger, the nation’s largest traditional grocery retailer, has 2,449 supermarkets and multi- department stores in 31 states under two dozen local banner names including Kroger, City Market, Dillons, Jay C, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, King Soopers, QFC, Ralphs and Smith’s. The company also operates 785 convenience stores, 359 fine jewelry stores, 1,035 supermarket fuel centers and 40 food processing plants in the U.S. For more information on Kroger, visit www.kroger.com.

Smith’s is a division of the Kroger Co. Based in its division office in Salt Lake City, Smith’s has 133 stores throughout seven western states. For more information about Smith’s, visit www.smithsfoodanddrug.com.