Corporations That Use the Most Solar Power
Major corporations have come under fire for high energy use and environmentally unsustainable operations. In fact, according to The Carbon Majors Database, only 100 of the thousands of companies in the world are responsible for 71% of the global greenhouse gas emissions since 1998. While everyone has to do their part to protect the planet and reduce their carbon footprint, the onus is on big businesses to become more environmentally conscious. One way companies are improving is by building and using clean energy sources like solar power. Companies that use solar energy are helping to reduce harmful emissions in the environment by reducing their reliance on fossil fuels.
We looked at the numbers to see which corporations are currently using the most solar power and which have built the most solar installations.
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Companies That Are Succeeding at Solar Power
According to the data on companies using solar power, these are the 10 corporations that have the most installed solar capacity measured in megawatts:
- Apple: 398.3 megawatts
- Amazon: 369.0 megawatts
- Walmart: 331.0 megawatts
- Target: 284.8 megawatts
- Google: 245.3 megawatts
- Kaiser Permanente: 181.8 megawatts
- Switch: 179.0 megawatts
- Prologis : 133.7 megawatts
- Facebook: 119.5 megawatts
- Solvay: 81.4 megawatts
When it comes to solar power, Apple is on top with 398.3 megawatts of solar capacity. They have long been a leader in environmentally friendly business practices and even aim to manufacture their products entirely with clean energy by 2030. Following close behind Apple are Amazon and Walmart. Solar capacity for these two companies also exceeds 300 megawatts.
Companies With the Most Solar Installations
These are the corporations that currently have the most solar installations:
- Target: 513
- Walmart: 391
- Walgreens: 230
- Kohl’s: 160
- ALDI: 113
- Macy’s: 106
- Kaiser Permanente: 91
- Costco: 85
- Brookfield Properties Retail: 68
- Prologis : 64
Target has more solar installations that any other company at 513. However, Target ranks fourth in installed solar power capacity despite having the most solar installations. Also high on the list are Walmart with 391 installations and Walgreens with 230 installations.
Why Are Companies Going Solar?
There are many reasons why major corporations are adopting solar energy. In the United States, 40% of the energy produced is used by businesses, meaning that their actions can have a major impact. Companies that go green often build goodwill with potential customers. And most importantly, solar energy is good for the planet. Solar panels harness energy from the sun, and the sun’s energy is both clean and not running out anytime soon. Fossil fuels are diminishing, and unfortunately, harmful practices like fracking are becoming more common. Fracking can cause serious damage like surface water contamination, earthquakes, and chemical hazards to humans. Solar energy is a much more earth-friendly solution.
Solar energy is also a smart financial solution. While there is an upfront cost with commercial solar panels, solar energy is a renewable resource, so solar panels are a smart investment for companies in the long run. Since non-renewable resources like oil are in limited supply, their costs are likely to keep increasing.
As supplies of fossil fuels like coal, petroleum, and natural gas continue to deplete, many more corporations are likely to be investing in solar energy in the future.