CNN — As the US attempts to transition away from fossil fuels and towards cleaner energy sources, there is growing interest in utilizing the rooftops and parking lots of big-box stores and shopping malls. These vast, mostly unused spaces could be harnessed for solar power, helping the US reduce its reliance on foreign energy, decrease emissions, and save companies millions of dollars. For example, the IKEA store in Baltimore saw an 84% reduction in energy purchases and a 57% cost savings from September to December 2020 after installing solar panels on its roof and over its parking lot. Similar opportunities exist for other retailers like Walmart, Target, and Costco.
According to a report from nonprofit Environment America and research firm Frontier Group, big-box stores and shopping centers have enough roof space to generate half of their annual electricity needs from solar power. These spaces could produce enough electricity to power nearly 8 million homes and reduce the same amount of emissions as removing 11.3 million gas-powered cars from the road. For instance, the average Walmart store has a roof area roughly the size of three football fields, which could support solar energy capable of powering 200 homes.
Clean energy advocates believe that a solar revolution in big-box retail would benefit local communities by promoting economic growth while addressing climate change, which disproportionately affects marginalized communities. However, currently, only a fraction of big-box stores in the US have adopted solar technologies due to various obstacles, including regulations, labor costs, and concerns about roof structural integrity.
Experts stress the urgency of implementing clean energy initiatives like rooftop solar as the climate crisis accelerates. For example, Walmart, with its 5,000 stores and over 783 million square feet of rooftop space, has the largest solar potential among US retailers. While Walmart is involved in renewable energy projects globally, it has not prioritized rooftop solar installations. Environment America has been advocating for Walmart to commit to installing solar panels on its roofs and parking lots and notes that the company could have a significant impact on renewable energy adoption in the US.
Other major retailers like Target and Costco have made progress in implementing rooftop solar, but many barriers remain. Home Depot, for example, has completed 75 rooftop solar projects and has more planned for future development. However, aging roofs present a challenge as solar installations will only make financial sense if the roofs do not need to be replaced in the near future.
Challenges to widespread adoption of rooftop solar include concerns about labor costs, incentives, and the complex regulatory environment. Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois highlights the disjointed nature of the US power sector and the lack of incentives for solar development as major barriers to progress. However, experts emphasize that now is the time for retailers to embrace solar energy and utilize their untapped rooftop potential to support a clean energy transition.