Shaw’s Supermarkets Completes First of Four Store Solar Rooftops

Supervalu-owned Shaw's Supermarket has completed a194 kW solar array on the rooftop of its store at Equity One's Webster Plaza in Webster, Mass., the first of four anticipated solar energy projects between planned between the two companies.

Equity One worked with LB Energy Partners and American Capital Energy on the development and installation of this project, which includes an array of approximately 750 solar panels that generate approximately 226,000 kWh of solar energy each year. From a sustainability perspective, this project is estimated to reduce 179 tons of carbon emissions per year, equivalent to removing 31 cars and light trucks from the road or planting 35 acres of forest each year.

"Shaw's is committed to environmental stewardship, [which is why we] worked with Equity One on the installation and activation of these solar panels at our store," said Larry Wahlstrom, president, Shaw's. "We plan to with Equity One on the continued development of these types of sustainable initiatives."

A live display of energy and power reports produced directly from the solar panels on top of Webster Plaza can be found at www.equityone.net/solar.aspx.

Supervalu was recently awarded with the Environmental Protections Agency 's GreenChill Distinguished Partner award, its "Best of the Best" (Certified Store) award for its new Chestnut Hill Star Market, Chestnut Hill, Mass., and the Environmental Achievement Award for achievement of the company's annual environmental goals. Supervalu also recently announced collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund, where the company pledged to cut its emissions of greenhouse gases by 10 percent by the end of 2012.

Shaw's, Osco, and Star Market are a division of Eden Prairie, Minn.-based Supervalu that operates 175 stores and employs approximately 25,000 associates. Supervalu serves customers across the United States through a network of approximately 4,270 stores composed of approximately 1,160 traditional retail stores, including 820 in-store pharmacies; 1,190 hard-discount stores, of which 870 are operated by licensee owners; and 1,920 independent stores serviced primarily by the company's traditional food distribution business.