Learn more about solar power at REI:

Why Solar?

REI has been a retail leader in green building design for decades, and several of our stores already harness the sun's energy through solar hot water heaters. When we redesigned REI Boulder in 2007, we included a solar skylight system that powers a portion of the store through building integrated photovoltaics.

It's a proven technology that supports our long-term goal of becoming a carbon-neutral company.

Now, we're deepening our commitment to solar power by installing photovoltaic panels — which convert the sun's power to electricity — on the roofs of more than 10 percent of our stores.

The Deciding Factors

A sunny location isn't the sole factor when choosing which REI stores to retrofit with solar roof panels. Among the other criteria we considered:

  • Cost — including tax incentives and utility rebates, and the current and predicted costs of electricity
  • Infrastructure — the size, current condition and orientation of the store's roof

We're excited to lay this foundation for change. Our first crop of 11 solar-equipped stores will help us learn more about the technology and how we might expand it to other REI stores in the future.

In the Stores

Lighting is by far the biggest use of electricity in a retail store — typically accounting for nearly 60 percent of the total usage. (Compare that to the average home, where lighting is less than 10 percent of electricity use.)

Energy efficiency is our primary strategy to cut our energy consumption. To further reduce demand, we're beginning to generate electricity at many of our stores.

We're excited to install photovoltaic panels on the roofs of 11 REI stores. Depending on its location, a solar-equipped store will generate an average of 30 percent of its own electricity.

By the end of 2008, REI store roofs will be sporting more than four acres of solar panels!

In California:

In Oregon:

Solar panels are fine-tuned at the REI Arcadia store.

In Texas:

Round Rock – our second in a series of three prototype stores that test new standards for sustainable retail design.

Links

Ready for more? Visit these sites to learn about solar-generated electricity and how you can calculate and shrink your own environmental footprint.

How Does Solar Energy Work?

http://www.energytrust.org/RR/PV/how.html – Guide to solar photovoltaics in Oregon.

http://www.eere.energy.gov/education/lessonplans/ – Fun solar and renewable energy lessons for kids.

Carbon Calculators

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html – Calculate your individual carbon footprint.

http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/calculator.html – Calculate greenhouse gas equivalencies.

Additional Resources

http://www.gosolarcalifornia.org/ – Guide to solar energy with California specifics.

http://www.nrel.gov/learning/re_solar.html – References to other US programs for solar technologies and energy efficiency.

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