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Wal-Mart looking to solar for retail stores | 01.05.2007 | 10:38:27 | Views: 6681 | ID: January 5 '07: Wal-Mart is considering a move to solar power for its retail stores in an effort to reduce the company's carbon footprint. The move also will increase the retailer's ability to become less power grid-reliant which will improve the company's energy preparedness, CNET news reported. Last month, the company "put out an RFP (request for proposal) ... to solar electric suppliers and expects to receive responses early this month," CNET news was told according to a company representative. One official told CNET that the proposal calls for enough solar power aggregators to supply 100 megawatts of power over the next five years. The move to incorporate alternative forms of electricity is a growing concern for public and private organizations. Recent earthquakes in Hawaii, snow storms in New York and the Midwest as well as disasters such as Hurricane Katrina have shown the fragility of the power infrastructure and the reliance upon which essential services depend on the grid. Currently, Google is working to install solar panels at its headquarters in California, however the 1.6 MW project is 1/60th the size of Wal-Mart's proposed plan. In addition to the aforementioned companies, Sharp and Microsoft are also considering switching to alternative sources of energy production, CNET reported. The solar project is inline with Wal-Mart's three goals of sustainable growth and environmental efficiency: creating zero waste; selling products from sustainable resources; and using 100 percent renewable energy CNET reported.
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