Phoenix — REI, a national specialty outdoor retailer and the nation’s largest consumer co-op, has teamed with Blue Oak Energy to complete a 2.2 MW rooftop solar installation atop REI’s new distribution center in Goodyear, Ariz.
REI’s latest solar system will offset 100% of the facility’s annual electricity consumption, helping the company reach its goal of achieving a net zero operation.
“We’ve built a tremendous relationship with REI, installing more than 25 systems at REI locations across the nation,” says Tobin Booth, CEO of Blue Oak Energy. “For this latest installation, we once again joined forces with REI, staying by their side every step of the way to offer expertise and provide guidance on the building’s energy production, costs and financial returns to ultimately help them reach their ambitious environmental goals.”
To get this expansive project off the ground and help REI fulfill its commitment to environmental stewardship, collaboration was vital. Capitalizing on the strength of an 8-year history with Blue Oak Energy, the companies leveraged their longstanding relationship to create this project that brought REI’s solar portfolio to 5.4 MW — more than double what it had previously been.
“REI’s ambitious net-zero energy distribution center is a landmark project and houses one of the largest rooftop solar arrays in Arizona,” says Kirk Meyers, sustainability manager at REI. “We are thrilled to continue our relationship with the Blue Oak Energy team. Their ongoing partnership is representative of what it takes to complete complex energy projects like this.”
Blue Oak Energy’s comprehensive solar services are well acknowledged across 1,000 sites and more than 200 customers. Blue Oak Energy was founded in 2003 in Davis, Calif. In 2015, Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company and Coronal Group LLC made a strategic investment in Blue Oak Energy. For more information, visit http://www.blueoakenergy.com.
REI is a specialty outdoor retailer headquartered near Seattle. REI has 144 stores in 35 states. For more information, visit REI.com.
SOURCE: REI and Blue Oak Energy