Target to expand solar deployments to 180 stores and DCs

Middletown, Conn. -- Target Corp. is expanding its deployment of solar energy. The retailer has signed a power-purchase agreement with Greenskies Renewable Energy LLC that calls for supplier to install solar arrays on the roofs of 180 Target stores and distribution centers across the United States from Augusta, Maine, to San Diego.



When completed, the solar installations will produce an aggregate total of approximately 100 megawatts of electric energy. Though the size of the solar array will vary at each of the retail locations, the average system will consist of 1,700 solar panels. All 180 projects are expected to be completed by the winter of 2016.



Under its power-purchase agreement with Target, Greenskies will design, develop, finance, own and maintain each of the 180 solar installations. Target has agreed to purchase 100% of the electricity produced at each of the sites at a fixed and sharply discounted rate for the length of the contract. Each roof-top array will produce between 20% and 30% of the total electricity requirements of the retail outlet on which it is built, Chester said.



Completion of the new agreement will increase the total number of solar arrays Greenskies has built on the roofs of Target retail outlets and distribution centers to 238 in 15 states. Those arrays will produce a combined total of more than 122 megawatts of clean electric power for the retail giant.



The Target retail outlets included in the agreement are located in 12 states: Arizona; California; Maryland; Maine; Michigan; New Hampshire; New York; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; South Carolina; Texas and Wisconsin, said Andrew Chester, Greenskies’ executive VP. The agreement also includes two Target distribution centers in New York State.



Greenskies intends to break ground on projects in Arizona, Maryland and New York this spring, according to Chester.