Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market said a $13 million solar panel installation at its California distribution center is generating nearly 75% of the energy at the 500,000-square-foot facility.
“In a time of rising energy costs, solar power is helping ease the grocer’s energy bills and helping keep Fresh & Easy’s prices affordable,” the retailer said.
At solar panel installation is the size of five football fields, and it’s considered one of the largest roof-mounted solar installations in North America, the retailer said.
Since March, the solar panels have provided enough energy to power more than 300 typical homes, 4,200 televisions or 10,000 light bulbs for a year.
“We try to be thoughtful in how we operate as a business, including being considerate about our impact on the environment. It only seems natural for us to use California’s remarkable sunshine to power our distribution center,” said Fresh & Easy CEO Tim Mason. ”At times, the meter at the facility even runs backward because we are producing so much solar energy.”
A live feed of the solar panel’s energy output can be viewed at www.freshandeasy.com/greenbuilding.
According to Southern California Edison’s Savings by Design, Fresh & Easy stores use about 30% less energy than a typical supermarket.
The company is a pilot member of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) volume certification program, as it recycles or reuses all its display and shipping materials and voluntarily discloses its greenhouse gas emissions.