Walmart has become the largest producer of solar energy in the US

Фото: Depositphotos

“I know it looks like an ordinary megastore,” said President Obama, speaking at the Walmart megamarket in Mountain View in California. “But this is not so.”

Why? A few years ago, Walmart installed solar panels on the roof of its California building, and other large retail chains, such as Target and IKEA, followed suit. If all American supermarkets and shopping centers placed solar panels on the roofs of their buildings, you could get enough clean energy for 7 millions of homes.

A brilliant idea

What can contribute to this? Retailers are confident that the use of solar panels is very beneficial for business.

Walmart, which has more than 5 thousands of stores in the United States, is the country's largest employer and the largest producer of solar energy. At 350 solar panels, the company generates 142 megawatts of electricity (enough to meet the needs of 50 thousands of households).

The reduction in prices for solar batteries and the increase in the space allocated for their placement suggest that large commercial enterprises can act as suppliers of cheaper electricity than from traditional sources.

This will lead to a big change. According to Walmart, 80 per cent of carbon emitted by this company is used for the needs of its buildings.

Walmart as well as Target, IKEA USA and Kohl's are among the 154 companies that signed the document. American Businesses Act on Climate Pledge (“The Climate Business Liabilities Act”).

According to Ron Rasch, a representative of the Association of Solar Equipment Manufacturers, 5-7 years ago this could be a sensation, but today, against the background of lower clean energy prices and a rise in usable space for placing solar panels on roofs of buildings, such a business decision is considered only just as “smart investing.”

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