Target wins top ranking for corporate solar energy capacity

SEIA report shows that Target is number one with installed solar energy capacity among corporations

Major retailer Target has been ranked as number one in corporate solar energy capacity for this year, according to a new report from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). This is the first time Target has managed to acquire this position since the SEIA began surveying solar capacity within the corporate sector six years ago. Target has managed to beat out other massive retailers and companies, such as Wal-Mart, and now boasts of the largest solar capacity among these companies.

Target plans to continue supporting solar power

Target is capable of generating 147 megawatts of solar power, when sunlight is abundant. John Leisen, vice president of property management for Target, notes that the company is quite proud of its latest accomplishments in clean power. While Target has managed to increase its solar energy capacity by a significant margin, the company does not plan to slow down its use of clean power in the coming years. The company plans to have solar panels installed in 500 stores and distribution centers by 2020 in the hopes of becoming more environmentally friendly, sustainable, and efficient.

Corporations have installed 1 GW of solar energy capacity since 2012

The report from the SEIA does not account for all corporate solar energy capacity in the United States, but instead focused on the largest adopters within this sector. Altogether, corporate solar deployment has grown to 1 gigawatt since 2012. Over the first three quarters of this year, companies installed a combined 142 megawatts of solar energy capacity. By comparison, some 130 megawatts of capacity was installed during the same three quarters in 2015. Notably, however, corporate solar installations have slowed considerably from what they had been between 2011 and 2013.

Solar is becoming a major priority for large companies in the United States

Solar power has become a very prominent focus for many large companies throughout the United States. These companies have been feeling pressure to comply with increasingly strict emissions regulations coming from the federal government. Solar energy capacity among large companies is expected to grow in the coming years, as these companies begin investing more in clean energy.