Many of the chains began with a few installations about five years ago but have picked up the pace in recent years as the price of equipment has plummeted. The average price of a finished commercial photovoltaic system, for example, dropped by almost 14 percent between the second quarter of 2011 and the second quarter of 2012, the report said. In addition, new financing approaches — in which third-party companies offer to install systems for little or no money upfront and instead take fixed payments for the electricity generated over a long-term agreement — has made solar even more attractive. Although the cost savings from these arrangements are not as great as for residential customers, the agreements insulate the companies against fluctuations in electricity costs, said Lyndon Rive, the chief executive of SolarCity, which provides solar products and services, and counts Walmart among its commercial customers, “When you look at renewables, there’s not a spiking of the fuel cost,” Mr. Rive said. “You’re locking your rates, which is a great hedge for a big percentage of your energy needs.”
- Walmart: 65 MW, 7 states, 144 systems
- Costco: 38.9 MW, 5 states, 62 systems
- Kohl’s: 36.5 MW, 10 states, 124 systems
- Ikea: 21.5 MW, 17 states, 31 systems
- Macy’s: 16.1 MW, 4 states, 41 systems
- McGraw-Hill: 14.1 MW, 1 state, 2 systems
- Johnson & Johnson: 11.6 MW, 2 states, 12 systems
- Staples: 10.8 MW, 5 states, 35 systems
- Campbell’s: 9.9 MW, 3 states, 3 systems
- Walgreen’s: 8.1 MW, 6 states, 134 systems
- Bed Bath & Beyond: 7.5 MW, 1 state, 4 systems
- Toys R Us: 5.7 MW, 1 state, 4 systems
- GM: 5.6 MW, 5 states, 13 systems
- FedEx: 4.9 MW, 2 states, 5 systems
- White Rose Food: 4.9 MW, 1 state, 1 system
- Dow Jones: 4.1 MW, 1 state, 1 system
- Snyder’s of Hanover: 3.5 MW, 1 state, 1 system
- Prologis: 3.5 MW, 1 state, 10 systems
- Hartz Mountain Industries: 3.4 MW, 1 state, 5 systems
- Crayola: 3.4 MW, 1 state, 1 system
