Commercial, Distributed Energy Resources, Energy Storage, Commercial, Distributed Generation, Finance, Solar, Sourcing Renewables, Wind  -  August 17, 2017

Home Depot to install 'mini solar farms' at 50 stores

Continuing work to expand its renewable energy portfolio, The Home Depot has announced plans to install rooftop solar at 50 of its stores.

In creating "mini solar farms out of unused rooftops," the home improvement retailer said Aug. 17 that the projects will reduce electric grid demand by an estimated 30% to 35% per year at each Home Depot store. The average store roof will accommodate 1,000 panels. 

The Home Depot is working with Current, powered by GE, to lease its roof space for the installations. The company will host 20 solar installations at stores in New Jersey, as well as eight stores in Connecticut, Maryland and Washington, D.C., according to a news release. An additional 22 stores in California and New York will receive solar, of which six will utilize Tesla Powerpacks to store energy and dispatch additional power as needed.

"Our alternative energy projects are important elements of our sustainability and operations efforts as they reduce carbon emissions while also lowering our energy costs," David Hawkins, vice president of labor and operations for The Home Depot, said in a statement.

The Home Depot has made a number of announcements over the past year related to its energy management and renewable energy strategy, including its first wind PPA and the installation of fuel cell-plus-storage systems at 200 stores. 

Project construction on the selected stores will continue throughout 2017, the company said. 

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