By Nima Kapadia

J.C. Penney Company has announced plans to expand its renewable energy program with solar and wind projects that will provide electricity in 10 stores and one distribution center. In addition to these initiatives, J.C. Penney will also seek Energy Star certification for 200 stores by 2011.

“Hosting these solar and wind projects will add to our knowledge of the benefits and potential applications of renewable energy programs at our facilities,” said Mike Ullman III, J.C. Penney’s chairman and chief executive officer. “We are constantly looking for opportunities to contribute to a cleaner environment.”

SunPower Corporation based in San Jose, Calif., will install the solar power systems on the rooftops of 10 J.C. Penny stores. Four stores are located in California in the cities of El Cajon, Palmdale, Redland and Santa Clarita. The other six stores are located in New Jersey in the cities of Cherry Hill, Deptford, East Brunswick, Freehold, Wayne and Woodbridge.

According to Jim Thomas, vice president and director for corporate social responsibility for J.C. Penney, the benefits of the solar power systems include:

• Producing more than 4 megawatts of clean electric power
• Preventing 146,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions over a 30-year expected lifetime — the estimated equivalent of annual greenhouse gas emissions generated by more than 800 cars.

Broadstar Wind Systems of Dallas, Texas, will install wind turbines at J.C. Penney’s 1.6 million-square-foot distribution center in Reno, Nev. Broadstar’s AeroCam wind turbine will be used, which captures and generates more power than conventional three-blade turbines.

Installations of the solar and wind systems are expected to completed in November.

J.C. Penney is a participant in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program, which recognizes the top 25 percent of commercial buildings and industrial plants for energy efficiency. Last year, four J.C. Penney stores received Energy Star certification. To reach the goal of 200 stores by 2011, J.C. Penney plans to push Energy Management Systems (EMS) and retrofit store equipment.

By the end of this year, 800 stores will be equipped with EMS, which provides remote motoring and control of electrical and mechanical systems, monitors store comfort levels (i.e., air conditioning and heating) and helps identify opportunities for energy savings.

J.C. Penney also will invest in replacing old lighting. In 2007, a total of 167 stores received lighting retrofits that will save 27 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually compared to older systems.
For more information on J.C. Penney’s solar and wind projects, visit their website.

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