Stop & Shop Installs Solar Panels

The Northeast grocer hopes to reduce its carbon footprint by 20 percent by 2015.

July 30, 2010

QUINCY, MA - Stop & Shop announced that it has completed the installation of solar panels on eight of its stores in Mass., Conn. and N.J. The solar panels will reduce the amount of energy consumed by these stores by more than seven percent. The completion of this project marks an extension of the company's commitment to reduce its carbon footprint by 20 percent by 2015 using 2008 as a baseline.

The amount of electricity that will be generated by all eight stores annually is estimated to be 1,759,572 kWh, offsetting 1,264 metric tons of CO2. This is equivalent to the CO2 emissions from the total electricity use of 153 homes over the course of a year.

The solar project is among a series of green solutions Stop & Shop is rolling out across its 375 stores in the Northeast.

"Businesses are waking up to the benefits of solar power. As one of the largest food retailers in the Northeast, we're proud to incorporate solar panels into our building," said Faith Weiner director of public affairs for Stop & Shop.

Beyond solar panels, Stop & Shop has been exploring alternative ways to be green by installing energy-efficient lighting and refrigeration systems in stores and distribution centers. The company also recently partnered with the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund to install a fuel cell at its new store in Torrington, Conn., which will provide more than 90 percent of the electricity needed to power the store.

Stop & Shop employs more than 59,000 associates and operates stores throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, New York and New Jersey. The company is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and has been awarded LEED certifications for 50 of its existing stores.

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