Green Technology

Walmart commits to the deployment of lighter, lower cost thin film solar technology through the installation of generating capacity at sites in the West. 

The solar capacity is sized to generate almost a third of the power requirements for the targeted stores. 

The thin film solar technology will focus on accelerating CIGS market adoption.  …

…   “The company plans to add solar generating systems to another 20 to 30 sites in California and Arizona, and the majority of these locations will feature the new technology. 

When complete, this project is expected to:

• supply up to 20 to 30 percent of the total energy needs for each location;
• produce up to 22.5 million kilowatt hours of clean energy per year – enough to power more than 1,750 homes annually;
• avoid producing more than 11,650 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually, equal to taking more than 3,000 vehicles off the road for a year;
• add to the 31 current solar installations Walmart has in California and Hawaii.

Thin film solar panels look similar to the traditional crystalline panels, but require fewer raw materials to manufacture, resulting in a smaller environmental impact over its life cycle.

The Walmart projects are using both copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) and cadmium telluride thin film.

The company’s large scale on-site installation of CIGS could help further the development of this technology and bring it to market quicker, while use of cadmium telluride thin film could help make the case for other businesses to adopt the technology for on-site commercial use.

SolarCity, which will design, install, own and maintain the new solar power systems on Walmart locations, was selected through an RFP process spearheaded by Walmart and the national environmental group, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF).

The goal of the RFP was to identify the most innovative solar technologies that would create benefits on three fronts—to the environment, technology, and financial viability.”   …

Via Walmart: Thin Film Solar Technology (Link to Release).

SolarCity is Walmart’s solar partner.

Walmart collaborates with the Environmental Defense Fund to develop its sustainability strategies.

Posted by Green Tech at 08:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

List of 10 large green opportunities ...

... "Green technology essentially involves revamping the physical infrastructure of the modern world: replacing coal-fired power plants with wind turbines, building homes from materials concocted in chemistry laboratories, and swapping out engines for electric motors. " ...

Via Seeking Alpha: Top 10 Green Giants List

Posted by Green Tech at 10:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

for reduction to achieve Walmart's goal to eliminate twenty million tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its global footprint. The company will deploy a selection, action, and assessment process to enable its sustainability program. Walmart collaborated with external leaders in sustainability and will leverage this integration team to identify projects, measure reductions, engage its supply base, and drive proper procedures into each GHG reduction benefit. ...

... "Selection -- Walmart will focus on the product categories with the highest embedded carbon. This is defined as the amount of life cycle GHG emissions per unit multiplied by the amount the company sells. To find the embedded carbon, the ASC reviewed the GHG emissions associated with all Walmart product categories. This approach ensures the project team focuses on the categories that have the greatest opportunity for reductions. Reductions can come from any part of a product’s life cycle." ...

Via Walmart Stores: http://bit.ly/aBy2pX

Walmart Sustainability commitment aligns with the company's sustainability goals of being supplied 100 percent by renewable energy, creating zero waste and selling products that sustain people. http://bit.ly/dsPMqE



Greening the Walmart integrated supply chain has the potential to reach tens of thousands of companies around the globe. http://bit.ly/cmVTcG The Walmart effect is expected to have significant implications for China according to the Environmental Defense Fund, given the size of the Walmart environmental supply chain. http://bit.ly/cwV1OW



To track benefit realization, Walmart will follow this process: Suppliers and Walmart will jointly account for the reductions. ClearCarbon will perform a quality assurance review of those claims to ensure methodology, completeness and calculations are correct. When the claims meet the quality assurance check, PricewaterhouseCoopers will assess under consulting standards whether the defined procedures were followed consistently to quantify the reduction claim. http://bit.ly/beaYyY

Walmart has received constructive feedback from its colaboraters, such as The Environmental Defense Fund. For example, EDF reviewed the WalMart’s Sustainability Report and made these comments: We’d also like to see Wal-Mart present more data that allows readers to verify the information presented. For example, the limited data presented on improvement to fuel efficiency in the truck fleet – an area where we know that WalMart has made progress – leave room for confusion. http://bit.ly/dfdj3s



Mike Duke, Walmart's President and CEO discusses the new Greenhouse Gas Goal: Today we’re announcing an aggressive new goal to eliminate 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the life cycle of the products we sell around the world by 2015. http://bit.ly/bBXBYx

Continue reading "Walmart green supply chain opportunity wiil target carbon intense products" »

Posted by Green Tech at 02:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Walmart solar power pilots could lead to wider adoption across the enterprise. Target Stores is also progressing with solar roof installations and other energy efficiency enablers. ...

... "The WalMart at 4210 East Highland Ave. is one of three locations recently retrofitted with solar panels. ... The system generates about 900,000 kilowatts per year, or about 30 percent of the stores total energy usage ... " ...

Via San Bernardino County Sun: Wal-Mart solar panels

Continue reading "Walmart Solar Rooftops" »

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Walmart goes public with its move to challenge the market for sustainable products. The product sustainability transformation will occur in three phases: broad supplier surveys on sustainability with focus areas on energy and climate; material efficiency; natural resources, and; people and community. A global database of the survey results will be created in collaboration with academia and be made available as an open-source of information. The effort will culminate in a product index that will enable consumers to make sustainable choices while shopping. ...

Mike Duke, President and CEO of Walmart comments at the Sustainability Milestone Meeting:

... "As I look back at our progress over the past few years, I think the most difficult challenge has been to measure the sustainability of our products. It’s in this area where I believe we can truly accelerate and broaden our efforts in sustainability… with a more elegant, research-driven approach. " ...

Via WalMart Stores: Sustainability Meeting

Continue reading "Walmart Sustainability Index for Efficient Products" »

Posted by Green Tech at 12:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Walmart plans to collaborate with supplier partners to create eco ratings for products in order to enable customers to make green choices. ...

... "The next phase involves creating a database and metrics for sustainability, Golden said, and the third is to translate that information into a ratings system consumers can understand. " ...

Via Associated Press: WalMart eco-ratings

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See aerial view of Walmart solar array at 4:48 in this solar photovoltaics video. ...

Continue reading "Walmart Chino Facility Solar Array" »

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Microgrids may offer part of the answer to an aging Power Grid.  A microcgrid is ..." ... A localized grid powered by a cluster of on-site generators, backup batteries, an array of solar panels or other sources of energy. ... can operate in parallel with the larger grid or independent of it. ... If the high-voltage grid we all rely on fails, the clusters of buildings or residences powered by a microgrid could keep operating normally until power is restored on the failed grid.""

" ... much of the work on microgrids today lies in the research side, real-life applications are beginning to spread. Clean Edge says Wal-Mart (nyse: WMT - news - people ) has two stores running on microgrids, one in Colorado and the other in Texas, ... Sacramento, Calif., Municipal Utility District, ...  announced in November that it plans to install a demonstration microgrid with a 310-kilowatt load at its headquarters. Another microgrid backup power system will be installed at the Santa Rita Jail in Alameda County, Calif., linking to the 1.2-megawatt solar photovoltaic system and a one-megawatt fuel cell already at the jail.

 

Via:  FORBES  Link

Posted by Green Dude at 05:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Wal-Mart's push towards becoming more green has spill over effects to retailers and customers.  Examples are that they are one of the largest seller of CFBs and their redesigned milk "bottle" that reduces packaging and waste and allows significantly more milk to be shipped per truck.

An extension of this was their challenge to reduce packaging - which HP accepted ... and came up with a novel way to ship laptops to retailers ...

Read on for more >>>

" ... Walmart asked electronics manufacturers to ... reduce environmental impact, HP ... was up for the challenge. ...a winning solution that reduced packaging materials by 97%.*"

"HP developed a sturdy and stylish messenger bag ... Protect Messenger Bag guards the notebook during shipping and is put directly on a Walmart shelf. Customers leave Walmart with just their new notebook, accessories and a convenient, reusable messenger bag— and avoid the hassle and waste of boxes and excess packaging.

 
"*...HP has reduced 97% of the amount of packaging waste the customer will need to discard. ...Factoring in the master carton, HP has reduced 65% of the packaging waste©"

 

Via:  HP  LINK

Continue reading "HP Wins Wal-Mart Challenge to Save on Packaging" »

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Paper or Plastic?  The choice may soon be made for us ...

"Wal-Mart Stores Inc will give out fewer plastic shopping bags, and encourage shoppers to reuse and recycle them, as the retailer aims to slash its plastic bag waste by a third worldwide by 2013. ... expected to cut the equivalent of 9 billion plastic bags from stores each year, and eliminate more than 135 million pounds of plastic waste globally in the next five years."

" ... aims to reduce plastic bag waste by 25 percent in its U.S. stores and 50 percent in other countries. ... U.S. stores will begin selling a new 50-cent reusable bag in October, and its baggers will be trained to pack bags more efficiently."

 

Via:  Reuters.com   Link

Posted by Green Dude at 05:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Reducing plastic waste is a benefit to everyone (except maybe the folks t hat make plastic packaging).  It adds cost to the final goods and results in waste to throw away and is not yet recyclable.

WalMart in Canada announced on May 12th, 2008 "... goal to reduce the packaging of products sold in its stores,... it will phase out all PVC plastic packaging in the energy saving light bulb category and replace it with ... cardboard packaging. ... will eliminate an estimated 150,000 pounds of PVC plastic waste each year, increase package recyclability and save natural resources."

" ... has a goal to reduce the packaging on the products sold in its stores by five per cent by 2013.  ... impact of removing 213,000 trucks from the road, saving approximately 324,000 tonnes of coal and 67 million gallons of diesel fuel each year.

Via: WalMart Link

Continue reading "WalMart Canada to Phase out Some Plastic Packaging" »

Posted by Green Dude at 05:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here's the long version video of John Doerr at TED conference. Inspiring talk. Highlights accomplishments at Walmart, Brazil's ethanol economy ... And, challenges us to do more. ...

Posted by Green Tech at 12:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

 

"Wal-Mart ... [NYSE: WMT] ...will open ... [Jan. 18, 2007] in Kansas City, Mo. the first ...High-Efficiency stores that will use 20 percent less energy than a typical Supercenter.  ... will help the retailer move one step closer to achieving its  environmental goals, which include using less energy and producing less waste."

"In 2005, Mal-Wart opened two experimental stores in McKinney, Texas, and Aurora, Colo., to test several different environmentally friendly technologies, ranging from wind power to pervious pavement, from waterless urinals to light-emitting diodes. ... plans to open the next High-Efficiency store in Rockton, Ill., this spring."

"To achieve the 20 percent energy reduction ... the company will target two main energy-consuming units: the heating and air conditioning system (HVAC), and the refrigeration system. ... the new HVAC and more efficient refrigeration systems are fully integrated so that 100 percent of the heat rejected by the refrigeration system is reclaimed into the HVAC. The reclaimed heat is then converted into usable energy. By incorporating a loop-piping design, the ... system also reduces the amount of installed copper and the total refrigerant charge required."

"Other energy-saving technologies ... include the installation of ultra-efficient case fans, glass doors on medium temperature grocery cases, RollSeal® quick response doors to seal air in areas such as the Garden Center, and a top-of-the-line dehumidification system. ... a daylight harvesting system, which uses skylights to refract daylight throughout the store and light sensors ...  During periods of higher natural daylight, the system then dims or turns off the store lights when they aren’t needed, ..."

"... also features GE’s energy-saving light-emitting diode (LED) refrigerated case lighting. LEDs have a longer life span than fluorescent bulbs, produce less heat and use significantly less energy than typical grocery case lighting. ... motion sensor-driven LED lights have been installed in all freezer and medium-temperature refrigerated cases.  ... the lights in these cases automatically turn off, and quickly turn back on when a customer approaches."

"...is committed to selling products that sustain our resources and our environment. As part of this store’s grand opening events,...donation of 21,000 compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), Wal-Mart will aid the city’s campaign to distribute CFLs to low-income and senior citizen households in Kansas City, Mo. ..".

Via:  Wal*Mart.com  Link

Posted by Green Dude at 05:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

 

" Here are some of the 50 Easy Ways to go Green".  For the complete list follow the link at the end of this BLOG post.

 

"At the supermarket - "

"Support local farms - At eatwellguide.org you can plug in your zip code and find suppliers of organic and sustainably produced meat, poultry, eggs, and more. ... buy locally, you won't have to rely on farms that ship food nationwide, which helps to decrease our dependence on oil ... "

 

Via:  MSN.com  Link 

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WalMart will lower the amount of mercury in the compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) sold in its stores, that will remove an average of 360 pounds of mercury per 100 million bulbs sold. ...

... "To reduce the amount of mercury in its CFLs, WalMart worked closely with manufacturers GE, Royal Philips, Osram Sylvania and Lights of America. All four suppliers committed to achieving a greater reduction in mercury content than the 5 mg standard set by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) earlier this year. These suppliers will also adhere to clean production techniques that will minimize mercury pollution from factories manufacturing CFLs. " ...

Via WalMart Stores, Inc.: WalMart Announces Major Mercury Reduction in Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

 

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WalMart makes major purchase of solar power from three power providers, BP Solar, SunEdison LLC, and PowerLight for 22 of its WalMart stores, Sam's Clubs and a distribution center in Hawaii and California. This pilot project will determine solar power viability for WalMart through the installation of solar voltaics for power generation. Total solar power production from the pilot will reach 20 million kWh (kilowatt-hours) per year. The total purchase is one of the largest solar power initiatives in the U.S. and each contract is for a term of 10 years.  Kohl's makes similar move today (see below).  ...

... "The solar power pilot project is a major step toward WalMart's goal of being supplied by 100 percent renewable energy. Each solar power generating system installed can provide up to 30 percent of the power for the store on which it is installed. By WalMart's estimates, installing the solar power systems will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 6,500-10,000 metric tons per year. Pilot project stores are expected to achieve savings over their current utility rates immediately - as soon as the first day of operation, said David Ozment, director of energy for WalMart.

SunEdison will provide the four solar power systems in Hawaii and four in California, while PowerLight and BP Solar will each supply seven systems in California. The systems installations are subject to receiving the appropriate permits and approvals in their respective states. WalMart will use the power generated by the solar panels onsite at each store and will also keep the Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) the units produce, which is unique among most solar power purchases. Enabling WalMart to maintain ownership of the RECs and its stores’ environmental benefits is another important factor in allowing WalMart to reach its goal of being supplied by 100 percent renewable energy. " ...

Via WalMart: Solar Power Pilot Project

Via SunEdison: Kohl's Readies its California Rooftops for Solar Power (PDF): "Kohl's initial purchase of solar power will generate more than 35 million kWh of renewable energy. In the first year of operation, Kohl's clean energy output will offset more than 28 million pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas directly linked to global climate change. "

 

Posted by Green Tech at 07:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Walmart will tap the mind-share of its workforce to impact sustainability through innovation projects. ...

... "As an example of this way of working, Scott also announced the company’s intention to introduce Global Innovation Projects - one of which is a challenge for WalMart associates and suppliers to start thinking about how to remove non-renewable energy from the products the company sells. " ...

Via Walmart: Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott Unveils Sustainability 360

 

Posted by Green Tech at 09:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)