Top 5 Major Corporations that are Making BIG investments in Solar Energy in 2020

How much power do you think is required to sustain a large company? Roughly 29,000 gigawatt-hours per year! Doesn’t it make sense for bigger businesses to turn to solar energy? This would help cut power costs and help the environment. Why don’t all businesses use solar energy? That’s a good question! And we’ll answer that with another question: why doesn’t EVERYONE use solar energy? The benefits of going solar are good for everyone. Let’s take a look at the top 5 companies that are choosing to reduce their carbon footprint.  

Target is on Top

Target is your one-stop shop for...well everything! Many of us have been guilty of going in there for one item and leaving with many. But you don’t have to feel guilty anymore. Why? Because Target reached their 500th solar installation last year!  

And that means that 500 of their stores have rooftop solar panels! But that’s not all, they made a commitment to have 100% of their electricity be from renewable sources by 2030. And they are already a quarter of the way towards that goal.  

Target is a 4-time ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year! They have also been honored by SEIA (Solar Energy Industries Association) as a top U.S. corporate solar installer for five years in row. Keep it up, Target!

Walmart is Winning All the Time

Walmart is one of the top places for affordable grocery shopping. Over the past few years, Walmart has been powering more stores with solar energy. And, of course, they have a renewable energy goal that they are currently working towards. They would like to have 50% of their operations powered by renewable energy by 2025.  

As of 2019, 28% of their electricity is powered by renewable sources. As Walmart moves forward with renewable energy projects, solar is playing a big part for them. And this past summer they made an agreement with US Solar to subscribe to 36 community solar gardens.  

As the world’s largest brick-and-mortar retailer, they should be setting the bar high. We look forward to seeing what they do with solar in the coming years!

Google has Got it Going

Google has always been known for being on the side of innovation. So, it doesn’t surprise us that they are top dogs in solar energy! Project Sunroof started as a side project for Carl Elkin, an engineer at Google. But now it’s a full-time job!  

What does Sunroof do? It’s a digital tool that can estimate a roof’s solar potential. And help estimate costs. It covers 43 million U.S. Rooftops. And gives referrals to solar providers for free. But that’s not all, Sunroof also shows you which neighbors have solar panels.  

Why is this important? Because more people are likely to go solar if they see their neighbors doing it. On a more personal level, Google’s CEO has plans for the biggest renewable energy deal in corporate history – about $2 billion in solar and wind.  

Amazon is Amounting to New Heights

You’ve probably heard people say that Amazon is going to take over the world. Honestly, with the amount of solar energy that they use, we’d might be okay with that! Can you guess where they placed on SEIA’s list? Second!  

But they are gaining on the company who holds the title of first. They have a total of 32 rooftop solar systems in the U.S. And these solar systems are MASSIVE. How massive? They sprawl across their huge warehouse rooftops! So, what’s Amazon’s renewable energy commitment? A whopping 100% of renewable energy across their global infrastructure.  

And just this past year, their installations offset the CO2 equivalent of more than 200 million miles of truck deliveries! You rock Amazon! And as if they plan on stopping there, they have a goal to reach net zero carbon by 2040. Currently, they have three projects in the works that will produce enough power for more than 67,000 homes!  

Apple is Applaud-Worthy

And, drum roll please...we have saved the best for last. Apple. It should be no surprise, that they are the largest U.S. user of solar power. To give you some insight, its global facilities are powered with 100% clean energy! And Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, said they aren’t stopping there either. If you aren’t team Apple, it’s never too late to switch!  

They have many other projects in the works for renewable energy. Notably, they currently have 400 megawatts (MW) of total installed capacity and counting. Since 2011, Apple has prevented nearly 2.1 million metric tons of CO2e from entering the atmosphere. Above all, Apple is setting the standard for what all future and current business should strive for! Keep being a solar superstar, Apple!  

And just as these companies are top leaders in solar energy, so are we at Bright Planet Consulting. With this in mind, find out how much you’d save with our monthly energy bill calculator!

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