Outdoor gear Retailer REI is planning to test the effectiveness of solar installations on more than 10% of its stores.
The co-op has selected 11 stores to be retrofitted with solar electric systems in 2008. The seven locations in California include Arcadia, Folsom, Sacramento, San Carlos, San Diego, San Francisco and Santa Rosa. Additional stores include three in Oregon–Clackamas, Hillsboro and Tualatin–and the co-op’s second prototype store in Round Rock, Texas, which tests retail design and green building concepts.
Consulting with Blue Oak Energy, a solar electric engineering firm, the store locations were selected based on a variety of criteria, including available state incentives and utility rebates, current cost of electricity, and size and current condition of the store’s roof. The solar panels for the REI stores in California will be installed by Offset Electric, while the Oregon locations will be retrofitted by Christenson Electric, Inc.
REI expects the solar installations to supply about 35% of the electricity needs of each store. The co-op currently purchases approximately 20% of its electricity from green sources, including wind and biomass, and continues to collaborate with utility companies in developing additional options available in the market.
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