Department store joins city of T.O. in using renewable energy
By Nancy Needham nancy@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers SAVING ON ELECTRICITY--If you fly over the city of Thousand Oaks, you might notice the solar panels that cover the roof of Macy's department store. The city of Thousand Oaks encourages residents and businesses to use solar energy, as T.O. does at its wastewater treatment plant.

Macy's is taking advantage of the abundance of sunshine in Thousand Oaks by adding a rooftop solar power system to provide electricity for its stores in The Oaks mall.

Mayor Jacqui Irwin was on hand when the 498-kilowatt system was dedicated during a ceremony outside the women's store on April 22. About 100 people attended the event.

"Macy's was not required to do this," she noted.

Still, by going solar, Macy's joins with city hall in being a leader and setting a good example for other businesses to follow, she said.

Irwin pointed out the city's wastewater treatment plant also uses solar power and for four hours a day is off the grid--generating its own power rather than buying electricity from the electric company.

"We are leading by example and making other businesses take note," she said.

Macy's gave away 100 small trees to be planted in the community.

According to Macy's officials, the combined solar and energy-efficient upgrades reduce the energy consumption of its two department stores by about 40 percent and will help the retailer hedge against higher utility rates. The solar power systems are also expected to reduce CO_² emission by about 195 million pounds over 30 years, which is equivalent to planting 27,400 acres of trees or removing 19,500 cars from the road.

"We are proud to join the fight against greenhouse gas emissions in California because we believe a successful business is dependent on a healthy environment," Macy's vice chairperson Tom Cole said.

Macy's took advantage of the state-funded California Self-Generation Incentive Program for companies using solar power. In 2001, the California Public Utilities Commission created the program to offer financial incentives to customers who install certain systems, such as solar power, to meet all or a portion of their energy needs. The system must be certified to operate in conjunction with the electric system grid--not as a backup--and meet other criteria established by the CPCU.

The program was designed for businesses with a large number of customers, but the California Energy Commission offers a program to residential customers who install renewable generation, such as fuel cells and wind turbines, that are less than 30 kilowatts in size.

For more information, go to www.consumerenergycenter.org and click on rebates and incentives.