05/14/2007 BJ's Wholesale Goes Solar Business New Haven
05/14/2007
by Felicia Hunter
Touting environmental benefits and energy savings, two Connecticut BJ's Wholesale Clubs recently installed rooftop solar panels.
Solar arrays in the Derby and Willimantic stores cover nearly 16,000 square feet of roof space, according to company representatives, who add that they are the largest solar photovoltaic installations at retail sites in Connecticut.
"At BJ's Wholesale Club, we believe that the comprehensive energy-management plan must support energy, efficiency, commodity-purchasing strategies and the application of innovative and environmentally beneficial technologies such as renewable energy," explains Michael Pace, BJ's Wholesale Club energy engineer.
The installations were made possible in part by a $742,000 grant from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF) through its On-Site Renewable Distributed Generation Program. The balance of the system cost is being financed by system developer and owner Conservation Services Group, based in Massachusetts.
Derby's 80,160-square-foot store and the 68,160-square-foot Willimantic store each now feature 82.8-kilowatt commercial solar PV systems.
It is estimated that the environment will benefit from a combined reduction in CO2 emissions by 86 tons per year, and that the two systems will generate 180,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.
The Derby and Willimantic locations are the first of nine BJ's stores in Connecticut to begin operating under solar power.
Pace and CCEF President Lise Dondy laud state-business "solar power partnerships" that make such installations possible.
"The partnership of BJ's Wholesale Club and Conservation Services Group is an excellent example of a growing trend, linking environmental stewardship with sound business practices," says Dondy.
"BJ's will enjoy the benefits of energy cost control while CSG manages the operations and sells the clean power back to BJ's," Dondy adds. "Connecticut as a whole benefits from the reduced peak load on the grid and greenhouse gas reduction. We expect to see many more installations taking place under this business model."
