Big-box retailers like Wal-Mart, Costco, IKEA, and Kohl’s are widely recognized, and aptly named, for their large, boxy retail stores throughout the country. The amount of energy used to illuminate, heat, cool, and run these buildings is significant, though many companies have been hesitant to look into renewable energy due to the high up-front cost of equipment.
But with the price of photovoltaic (PV) panels falling rapidly — by about 60 percent since the beginning of 2011, according to Thomas Kimbis, vice president of government affairs for the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) — utilizing solar energy has suddenly become a cost-effective choice for many large retailers, who are now embracing the technology with open arms.