Kohl’s adds solar panels to 10 Colorado stores

-- Home Textiles Today, 4/15/2010 9:43:00 AM

Menomonee Falls, Wis. – Mid-tier department store chain Kohl’s plans by yearend to convert to solar power 10 of its 23 units in Colorado, the seventh state in which the retailer has switched to this natural energy source.

Kohl’s, which claims to be the largest retail host of solar power in North America, also operates solar store locations in California, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Oregon and Wisconsin.

Solar installations are currently complete or underway at four initial Kohl’s stores throughout Colorado – Southwest Denver, Thornton, Aurora East and Arapahoe Crossing. Six additional locations are in the planning phase and will begin construction in the coming months.

Each of the 10 units will have more than 530 solar panels that together generate 112 kW, or approximately 15% of each store’s energy. Once solar panels at all 10 initial Colorado stores are active, they are expected to collectively generate approximately 1.6 million kWh annually – the equivalent of powering 153 homes for a year.

Kohl’s began its solar program in California in 2007 with the activation of solar panels at its Laguna Niguel store. The company currently has 86 solar locations nationwide with the near-term goal of reaching 100 locations in the coming months.