Target is installing rooftop solar generation systems on five of its stores in the Denver metro area, the Minneapolis-based discount retailer announced on February 28.
The energy produced from the solar installations will cover one-third of each store’s energy use, reducing the amount of power that must be pulled from the grid. In total, the systems will produce more than 3,800 MWh of energy annually.
Three sites – Aurora South, Arapahoe, and Arvada – are expected to be completed this month. The roof at Target’s Edgewater store is under construction and scheduled to go live next month. Highlands Ranch will be in operation by year-end 2017, the company said.
The Colorado solar installations are part of Target’s goal to have 500 stores with rooftop solar panels by 2020, and the company said that it will continue to look to expand its solar presence across the state and region.
Today, 76 percent of Target’s buildings are ENERGY STAR-certified—more than any other retailer—which means all those buildings meet strict guidelines for energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
“We are proud to be helping the state reach its clean energy goals with more than 10 percent of our stores in Colorado now outfitted with solar installations,” said John Leisen, VP of Properties for Target, adding, “. Target is committed to enriching the communities we serve, and operating energy-efficient and sustainable buildings is one way we are following through on that promise in Colorado.”
Target is increasingly meeting a portion of its energy needs with solar power. In fact, Target installed more megawatts of rooftop solar in 2016 than any other U.S. retailer, and in 2016, the company was named the No. 1 U.S. Corporate Solar Installer by Solar Energy Industries Association.