SolarCity, a Top 400 Solar Contractor, has entered into contract with Walmart for the installation of new solar projects at facilities in up to 36 states over the next four years. SolarCity has completed more than 200 solar projects at Walmart locations since 2010. SolarCity has also installed and tested energy storage projects co-located with solar power generation at 13 Walmart facilities since early 2013, and will be incorporating ten additional storage projects in the next year. SunEdison will also be part of the partnership
Since the company’s last announcement in 2013, SolarCity has installed nearly 50 solar projects for Walmart including:
- Arizona – 10 carport and 2 rooftop projects totaling more than 5 megawatts
- California – 12 rooftop and 3 carport projects totaling 6.3 megawatts
- New York – 4 rooftop projects totaling 1.6 megawatts
- Oregon – 3 rooftop projects totaling 283 kilowatts
- Puerto Rico – 13 rooftop projects totaling 2.9 megawatts
Walmart is also at the forefront of commercializing storage technology and was a pilot customer for SolarCity’s energy storage system for businesses. Since early 2013, Walmart has tested 13 battery storage projects with solar installations across California to provide additional savings to Walmart by using stored electricity to lower peak demand charges. The next ten solar energy storage projects will each use a larger 200 kilowatt (400 kilowatt hour) battery, expanding battery storage capabilities as well as further reducing energy expense.
SolarCity has created 5,000 permanent American jobs since it initiated its first project with Walmart in 2010.
“SunEdison is one of Walmart’s earliest solar providers with projects dating back to 2007,” said Katherine Jennrich, senior manager of energy services at Walmart. “And, SolarCity has been Walmart’s largest solar provider, installing more than 200 projects together since 2010. We are excited to expand our work with both providers.”
Walmart is the top commercial solar energy user in the United States according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), and the largest on-site renewable energy user in America according to EPA’s Green Power Partnership.