7
Solar Means Business: Top Commercial Solar Customers in the U.S. WalMart: Marina, CA Photo Credit: SolarCity September 12, 2012

Solar Means Business: Top Commercial Solar …4!! Top Companies by Number of Systems 1. Walmart Stores 2. Walgreen Co. 3. Kohl’s Department Stores 4. Costco Wholesale 5. Macy’s

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Solar Means Business: Top Commercial Solar Customers in the U.S.

WalMart:  Marina,  CA    Photo  Credit:  SolarCity  

September  12,  2012  

  2    

Introduction What  do  Walmart,  Costco,  IKEA,  McGraw  Hill,  Johnson  &  Johnson  and  FedEx  have  in  common?  They  know  a  smart  investment  when  they  see  one,  and  are  all  adopting  solar  energy  in  a  big  way.  From  the  largest  corporations  to  small  businesses,  U.S.  companies  are  installing  solar  energy  to  take  control  of  their  energy  costs  and  improve  their  bottom  line.  As  of  mid-­‐2012,  businesses  as  well  as  non-­‐profit  organizations  and  governments  across  the  United  States  have  deployed  more  than  2,300  megawatts  (MW)1  of  solar  electric  (photovoltaic  or  PV)  systems  on  more  than  24,000  individual  facilities—and  this  number  is  growing  rapidly;  during  the  first  half  of  2012,  over  3,600  non-­‐residential  PV  systems  came  online,  an  average  of  one  every  72  minutes.  2    The  rapidly  falling  cost  of  solar  energy  has  made  solar  an  increasingly  appealing  investment  for  American  businesses.  Between  the  second  quarter  of  2011  and  the  second  quarter  of  2012,  the  average  price  of  a  completed  commercial  PV  system  fell  by  nearly  14  percent.3  The  economics  of  PV  have  become  so  attractive  that  many  of  the  best  managed  corporations,  which  are  synonymous  with  low  cost  and  efficiency,  are  adopting  solar  energy  on  a  massive  scale  across  the  U.S.      This  report,  prepared  by  the  Solar  Energy  Industries  Association  (SEIA)  and  the  Vote  Solar  Initiative  (Vote  Solar),  highlights  those  companies  that  have  deployed  the  most  solar  energy  capacity  at  their  facilities  for  onsite  consumption.  In  total,  the  42  companies  analyzed  for  this  report  have  deployed  at  least  321  MW  of  PV  capacity  at  more  than  750  locations  in  at  least  26  states  and  Puerto  Rico.  The  20  companies  with  the  highest  installed  capacity  have  deployed  at  least  279  MW,  enough  to  supply  all  the  electricity  needs  of  46,500  American  households.  These  solar  leaders  include  some  of  America’s  most  iconic  brands  and  biggest  businesses.  

In  addition  to  installed  capacity,  this  report  also  ranks  companies  by  the  number  of  operating  installations  as  well  as  the  geographic  diversity  of  their  solar  deployment.  

U.S. Companies Deploy Solar Energy from Coast to Coast

This map shows the locations of the on-site PV systems identified by this research. For an interactive map with updated information, visit:

http://www.seia.org/map/ corporate-solar-projects.php

1  A  megawatt  of  solar  capacity  is  enough  to  supply  all  the  electricity  needs  for  75-­‐218  homes  depending  on  the  region  of  the  country.  For  more  info  see  http://www.seia.org/policy/solar-­‐technology/photovoltaic-­‐solar-­‐electric/whats-­‐megawatt  2  SEIA  and  GTM  Research,  “U.S.  Solar  Market  Insight  Q2  2012”  https://www.slideshare.net/SEIA/us-­‐solar-­‐market-­‐insight-­‐report-­‐q2-­‐2012  3  Ibid.  

  3    

Solar Value Proposition Energy  can  make  up  a  significant  portion  of  a  business’s  operating  costs.  Companies  are  installing  solar  at  record  rates  because  it  reduces  operation  expenses,  improves  their  bottom  line,  and  allows  them  to  focus  resources  on  their  core  business  strategies.      The  price  of  solar  energy  systems  has  dropped  rapidly  over  the  past  5  years.  In  some  places,  it  is  more  cost-­‐effective   to   deploy   solar   than   buy   electricity   from   the   local   utility.   And   no   matter   where   the  company   is   located,  solar  provides  predictably  priced  electricity   for  20  to  30  years.  This  hedge  against  utility  price  volatility   is  highly  valuable  to  businesses  that  are  focused  on  managing  long-­‐term  budgets.    Combined  with   innovative   financing   options   that   further   reduce   upfront   costs,   solar   has   a   new   value  proposition  that  makes  business  sense  for  major  companies  nationwide.  

1. Walmart Stores, Inc. 2. Costco Wholesale

3. Kohl’s Department Stores

4. IKEA

5. Macy’s

6. McGraw Hill

7. Johnson and Johnson

8. Staples, Inc.

9. Campbell’s Soup

10. Walgreen Co.

11. Bed Bath and Beyond

12. Toys “R” Us

13. General Motors

14. FedEx Corporation

15. White Rose Foods

16. Dow Jones & Company

17. Snyder’s

18. ProLogis

19. Hartz Mountain Industries

20. Crayola

3356

3438

3499

3500

4100

4888

4889

5630

5676

7543

8163

9900

10776

11619

14113

16163

21495

36474

38900

65000

Total Installed Capacity (kW)

Top 20 Companies by Solar Capacity

What do some of America's most iconic brands have in common? They know a smart investment when they see one and are adopting solar energy in a big way. From the largest corporations to small businesses, U.S. companies are installing solar energy to take control of their energy costs and improve their bottom line. Learn more at: PLACEHOLDER URL

The Vote Solar mark is property of The Vote Solar Initiative. The SEIA mark is a federally-registered trademark and property of the Solar Energy Industries Association, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Logos and other marks are used for identification purposes only and do not reflect any endorsement of or membership in The Vote Solar Initiative or the Solar Energy Industries Association.

For more information

!

"

#

$

%

&

'

(

)*

))

)!

)"

)#

)$

)%

)&

)'

)(

!*

)

Solar Means Business:Ranking America!s Top 20 CorporateSolar Users

11.6 MEGAWATTS

2 STATES

12 SYSTEMS

10.8 MEGAWATTS

5 STATES

35 SYSTEMS

9.9 MEGAWATTS

3 STATES

3 SYSTEMS

8.1 MEGAWATTS

6 STATES

134 SYSTEMS

7.5 MEGAWATTS

1 STATE

4 SYSTEMS

5.7 MEGAWATTS

1 STATE

4 SYSTEMS

5.6 MEGAWATTS

5 STATES

13 SYSTEMS

4.9 MEGAWATTS

2 STATES

5 SYSTEMS

4.9 MEGAWATTS

1 STATE

1 SYSTEM

4.1 MEGAWATTS

1 STATE

1 SYSTEM

3.4 MEGAWATTS

1 STATE

5 SYSTEMS

3.5 MEGAWATTS

1 STATE

1 SYSTEM

3.5 MEGAWATTS

1 STATE

10 SYSTEMS

3.4 MEGAWATTS

1 STATE

1 SYSTEM

65 MEGAWATTS

7 STATES

144 SYSTEMS

36.5 MEGAWATTS

10 STATES

124 SYSTEMS

21.5 MEGAWATTS

17 STATES

31 SYSTEMS

38.9 MEGAWATTS

5 STATES

62 SYSTEMS

16.1 MEGAWATTS

4 STATES

41 SYSTEMS

14.1 MEGAWATTS

1 STATE

2 SYSTEMS

OF IKEA STORES HAVESOLAR INSTALLATIONS &(%

BOWLS OF CHICKENNOODLE SOUP COULD

BE HEATED A YEAR ""*M

WII GAME CONSOLESPOWERED A YEAR ")$K

1 BILLION CRAYONSPRODUCED A YEAR )B

"**MELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSHESCOULD BE POWERED

CUSTOMERS ARESERVED BY SOLAR

POWER EACH MONTH )!M

WhiteRoseFood

Snyder’s

HartzMountainIndustries

#%+$**HOMES COULDBE POWERED

),!MSOLAR PANELS

&**SOLAR ENERGY

SYSTEMS

-#&,"M UTILITY BILL SAVINGS

EACH YEAR

*COMPANIES ARE RANKED BY MEGAWATTS OF SOLAR INSTALLED

TOP 20 TOTAL

TOP 20 TOTAL

TOP 20 TOTAL

TOP 20 TOTAL

Companies  across  the  country  have  made  enormous  investments  in  solar  to  manage  their  operating  costs.  The  list  above  ranks  the  top  20  of  these  companies  by  the  installed  capacity,  or  the  maximum  power  potential  measured  in  kilowatts  (kW,  1,000  kW  =  1  MW),  of  all  of  their  on-­‐site  solar  installations  

  4    

Top Companies by Number of Systems

1. Walmart Stores

2. Walgreen Co.

3. Kohl’s Department Stores

4. Costco Wholesale

5. Macy’s

6. Staples, Inc.

7. IKEA

8 (tie). Lackland Storage

8 (tie). REI

10. Whole Foods Market

11 (tie). General Motors

11 (tie). Johnson and Johnson

13. Prologis

14. Lord & Taylor

15. JC Penny

16 (tie). FedEx Corporation

16 (tie). Hartz Mountain Ind.

18 (tie). SAS Institute

18 (tie). Stop and Shop

18 (tie). Toys “R” Us

18 (tie). Tiffany & Co

18 (tie). L’Oreal USA

18 (tie). Bed Bath & Beyond 4

4

4

4

4

4

5

5

6

8

10

12

12

17

26

26

30

35

41

62

124

134

144

Some  companies  have  high  energy  demand  at  a  single  facility  and  build  one  or  two  large  systems  to  meet  that  need.  Others  have  dozens  or  hundreds  of  stores  and  facilities  that  could  benefit  from  solar.  The  rankings  above  list  the  Top  20  companies  by  the  number  of  solar  installations  at  company  locations.  Those  at  the  top  of  this  list  have  made  repeated  decisions  to  go  solar,  building  off  of  earlier  successes.  

Total No. of Solar Energy Systems Installed

Macy’s:  Irvine,  CA.  Photo  credit:  San  Onofre  Safety.org  

  5    

Solar Leaders by Percent of Stores The  data  at  left  demonstrates  the  percentage  of  U.S.  company  stores  with  solar  for  a  few  notable  companies.  It  is  not  a  full  ranking,  rather  a  comparison  between  some  of  the  top  solar  users  that  were  already  part  of  this  report’s  analysis.  It  should  be  noted  that  smaller  companies  could  well  have  solar  at  all  of  their  company  locations  or  could  even  be  net  exporters  to  the  grid,  meaning  companies  generate  more  solar  energy  onsite  than  is  consumed  by  their  facility.

Top Companies by Geographic Diversity While  companies  with  facilities  in  California  and  the  Southwest  have  certainly  taken  advantage  of  the  ample  solar  resources  and  effective  solar  policies,  corporations  have  gone  beyond  those  well-­‐known  solar  markets  with  installations  all  across  the  country.  Many  corporations  have  solar  energy  systems  in  diverse  states  including  Michigan,  Wisconsin  and  Massachusetts,  which  is  a  strong  indication  that  solar  energy  can  make  business  sense  in  all  U.S.  climates.  This  list  ranks  the  top  companies  by  the  number  of  states  in  which  they  have  deployed  PV  at  their  facilities.  

IKEA - 16 states REI - 10 states

Kohl’s Department Store - 10 states

Walmart Stores, Inc. - 7 states Walgreen Co. - 6 states

Whole Foods Market - 5 states Staples, Inc. - 5 states

General Motors - 5 states

Costco Wholesale - 5 states

Macy’s - 4 states

IKEA 79% REI 20%

COSTCO 14%

Kohl’s 11%

Macy’s 5%

  6    

Big Plans The  companies  ranked  here  and  many  more  continue  to  expand  their  investments  in  solar  energy  at  a  rapid  pace.  Companies  such  as  Apple,  which  has  a  20  MW  system  under  construction  at  a  datacenter  in  North  Carolina,  have  announced  plans  for  major  solar  deployment.  Others  such  as  General  Motors  have  decided  to  enter  the  solar  business  themselves.    Businesses  as  well  as  other  large  energy  consumers  like  non-­‐profits,  schools  and  public  agencies  are  expected  to  add  7,000  megawatts  of  additional  PV  systems  over  the  next  five  years.  That’s  enough  to  replace  seven  retiring  coal  power  plants.  

   

Other Notable Companies  

While  this  report  focused  on  the  corporations  with  the  most  solar  deployment,  many  other  companies  big  and  small  choose  to  go  solar  every  day  to  take  control  of  their  energy  costs.  In  researching  this  report  we  identified  the  following  companies  as  having  significant  on-­‐site  solar  deployment  but  did  not  feel  confident  in  providing  rankings  due  to  both  known  and  unknown  missing  data.  

Anheuser Busch Apple Bloomberg LP Boeing Coca-Cola

Del-Monte Foods Google Intel Kaiser Permanente

Mars Snackfoods Merck Pepsi Sabert Corporation    

Solar  workers  on  WalMart.  Photo  credit:  SolarCity  

IKEA:  Bloomington,  MN.  Photo  credit:  Businesswire  

  7    

 

Methodology The  Solar  Energy  Industries  Association  (SEIA)  and  the  Vote  Solar  Initiative  (Vote  Solar)  set  out  to  rank  the  top  corporate  users  of  solar  energy  in  the  U.S.  To  do  this,  SEIA  and  Vote  Solar  combed  public  databases  and  contacted  company  representatives  to  collect  data  on  their  use  of  PV  systems.4  While  researchers  made  every  effort  to  collect  detailed,  complete  and  accurate  data,  not  every  company  responded  to  surveys,  and  public  databases  do  not  capture  all  installations.  Furthermore,  new  systems  are  installed  every  day.  In  the  first  half  of  2012  alone,  over  3,600  individual  non-­‐residential  systems  came  online  in  the  U.S.  Ultimately,  SEIA  and  Vote  Solar  believe  this  is  an  accurate  portrayal  of  the  leading  corporate  users  of  solar  energy  in  the  U.S.,  but  reserve  the  right  to  make  adjustments  as  new  data  becomes  available.  

SEIA  and  Vote  Solar  only  counted  on-­‐site  PV  systems  that  supplied  power  directly  to  company  facilities.  This  does  not  include  utility  PV  power  plants  that  sell  wholesale  electricity.  While  some  companies  buy  solar  renewable  energy  credits  (SRECs)  from  solar  power  generated  off-­‐site,  this  report  does  not  consider  such  transactions  due  to  limitations  in  data  collection  and  verification.  Likewise,  SRECs  produced  by  many  onsite  PV  systems  are  sold  to  utilities  or  other  buyers;  while  companies  that  sell  their  SRECs  do  not  retain  the  environmental  attributes  of  the  system,  such  systems  are  still  counted  for  the  purposes  of  this  report  as  the  decision  to  deploy  an  onsite  solar  system  is  an  essential  step  in  solar  energy  development.    Many  important  companies  have  made  massive  investments  in  helping  others  go  solar.  Bank  of  America,  Merrill  Lynch,  Google  and  others  have  provided  billions  of  dollars  in  financing  for  solar  energy  systems  in  the  U.S.  While  these  investments  are  big  business  and  central  to  the  development  of  the  solar  energy  industry,  they  are  not  the  focus  of  this  report.    These  rankings  only  include  PV  systems  that  were  operational  as  of  mid-­‐August  2012.    If  you  see  an  error  or  omission  or  would  simply  like  to  add  new  data,  please  email  [email protected].  Please  direct  all  press  questions  to  Monique  Hanis  ([email protected]),  Rosalind  Jackson  ([email protected])  or  Jamie  Nolan  ([email protected]).    

 

4  This  report  only  considers  the  use  of  photovoltaic  systems,  which  produce  electricity.  It  does  not  represent  the  use  of  solar  heating  and  cooling  (SHC:  water  heating,  space  heating,  space  cooling  or  process  heat)  due  to  lack  of  public  databases.  

www.seia.org/SolarTop20