tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9356414.post1194070616866960835..comments2024-03-09T03:15:55.350-05:00Comments on jazzoLOG: Who Has The Key To Unlock Our Grid?jazzologhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16647170784964378640noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9356414.post-299878613892990872010-02-11T08:34:56.371-05:002010-02-11T08:34:56.371-05:00From the Wall Street Journal~~~
By Andy Georg...From the Wall Street Journal~~~<br /> <br /> By Andy Georgiades <br /> Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES <br /><br />TORONTO (Dow Jones)--Wal-Mart Canada Corp. is broadening its efforts in renewable energy with plans for three pilot projects in wind and solar power this year. <br /><br />The Canadian unit of retailing giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT), which unveiled a geothermally powered store last year, plans to incorporate wind and solar elements in a new distribution center and two retail stores in 2010, the company is announcing at the Green Business Summit it's hosting in Vancouver Wednesday. <br /><br />The 400,000-square-foot distribution center, to be built in Alberta at a cost of C$115 million, is expected to be 60% more efficient than a typical Wal-Mart distribution center. It will incorporate 16 solar panels plus a 225-kilowatt wind turbine on the site to help power the facility. <br /><br />It will also test the use of hydrogen fuel cells to power its material-handling equipment, such as forklifts, which typically use lead-acid batteries. <br /><br />In addition, Wal-Mart Canada said it plans to install a rooftop solar system and wind turbine at separate stores in Ontario. The solar system is expected to generate enough power for 39 households a year, whereas the wind turbine is expected to generate enough power for four households. <br /><br />But in these cases, the power will be returned to the electrical grid under Ontario's new feed-in-tariff program, under which Wal-Mart will invest a total of C$2 million and be paid for the renewable energy generated. Wal-Mart Canada, which counts itself as one of the largest purchasers of renewable energy, says it will consider using such systems to power individual stores in the future, depending on the results of these pilots. <br /><br />Wal-Mart Canada also announced the debut of ShareGreen.ca, a Web site that allows corporations - including competitors - to share their sustainability work and ideas. <br /><br />Company Web Site: http://www.walmart.ca <br /><br />-By Andy Georgiades, Dow Jones Newswires; 416-306-2031; andy.georgiades@dowjones.com <br /> http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100210-716842.html?mod=WSJ_latestheadlinesjazzologhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16647170784964378640noreply@blogger.com