With the help of Beltsville, Md.-headquartered SunEdison, Kohl's department stores have began the largest planned rooftop photovoltaic (PV) solar rollout to date in the U.S., beginning with the company's Laguna Niguel store in California.
The department store chain's goal of building solar electric systems at 63 of its 80 California locations, once completed, would total approximately 25 MW, or about 15% of the state's PV installations to date, and generate more than 35 million kWh of renewable energy annually.
According to the companies' agreement, SunEdison will manage the rooftop systems in exchange for commitment from Kohl's to purchase energy from SunEdison. In total, more than 138,000 solar panels are expected to be used when the solar installations are complete in 2008.
