Business Case Studies

Australian favourite RAC has added to their highly regarded sustainability credentials by adding a 100kw solar energy system to the roof of their Perth headquarters. The system is now the most visible solar energy system in Western Australia [WA].

And most recently in WA, the Minister for Energy and Multicultural affairs was on hand to officially open the largest rooftop solar system, located at the Broadway Fair Shopping Centre in Nedlands.

The system’s 948 panels that are located on the shopping centre’s brand new roof, will create enough electricity to cover more than 30% of the shopping centre’s total usage.

Another retail giant that has taken positive action towards running 100% on renewable Energy is the Swedish powerhouse IKEA.

With their recent completion of installing 1.28MW rooftop solar system in St. Louis , Missouri in the U.S. they will be able to produce enough electricity to power 169 homes, 1, 7800, 000kWh to be exact.

With an array consisting of 4,085 panels, this project is the largest of its kind in the state and marks the 42nd US based solar project for IKEA. This project brings the company to nearly a 90% solar installation rate in the US and on track to reach their goal of running 100% renewable energy by 2020.

IKEA has stated that they have allocated over AU$2.7 billion to globally invest in their facilities up to 2020.

This includes their current plan of installing rooftop solar systems on their warehouses and stores on the east coast, totalling 3.9MW. This include the biggest, solitary rooftop solar PV installation project here in Australia. This project is a 990kW system in New South Wales, at their Tempe location.

This project is larger than the 1.2MW installation on the University of Queensland campus, which is spread out over multiple buildings.

American superstore Walmart’s crusade to be 100% supplied by renewable energy is paying off. They are currently the number one commercial solar energy user in the US and aim to double their total number of on-site solar energy projects by 2020, at both their retail outlets and their distribution centres.

For well over a year now, Walmart, has been piloting two 9Kw batteries along with eleven 30Kw batteries at over a dozen locations in California. The batteries area part of their on-site solar systems, with the intentions of capturing and using clean solar power, managing their peak energy demands. Of course there are major benefits for the business [cost savings, eco friendly reputation, etc.] but it also directly benefits each of the local communities where these are taking place.

From Walmart’s point of view, by leveraging the power of the sun, they can significantly save costs on outgoing power bills, allowing those saving to be passed on to their customers.

Their intention is two fold: produce as much solar as they can for use and to help reduce high demand and impact on the “traditional” energy grid.