As America races towards a greener future, businesses are increasingly turning to renewable energy sources to power their operations. Poised to be key players in this movement are big box retailers, whose sprawling rooftops present vast untapped potential for solar energy generation. Watch the video below to get a primer on the solar potential of America’s big box stores and warehouses.

The top ten American retailers with the most rooftop solar potential

10. Publix

The southeastern supermarket chain, Publix, has the 10th highest rooftop solar potential among major big box store chains in America. Publix Super Markets have more than 59 million square feet of combined rooftop space. If Publix maximized the solar potential of its rooftops, the company could produce enough electricity to power more than 64,000 homes. Rooftop solar coupled with battery storage can provide power even when the grid is down so in hurricane-prone southeastern states, Publix installing solar could help with community resiliency in the event of hurricanes or other extreme weather.

9. TJX Companies

TJX Companies is the leading off-price apparel and home fashions retailer in America. TJ Maxx, Marshalls and other TJX Companies stores are common in shopping centers across America and they have a combined rooftop area greater than than 185 million square feet. Solar panels on the roofs of TJX Companies stores could harvest enough energy from the sun to provide electricity for more than 75,000 average American homes.

8. Costco

Costco Wholesale stores have 81 million square feet of rooftop space suitable for solar. If maximized, solar panels on Macy’s roofs could power more than 87,000 average households.

7. Macy’s

Macy’s stores across America have a collective 113 million square feet of rooftop space that, if used to host solar panels, could power more than 121,000 homes with clean renewable energy.

6. Albertsons

Albertsons stores have a combined 113 million square feet of rooftop space, which, if used to host solar panels could produce enough electricity to power more than 120,000 homes.

5. Kroger

If you add up the square footage of all the rooftops of Kroger grocery stores across the country and consider what would be viable for rooftop solar, it becomes clear that Kroger could generate a lot of energy if they put solar panels on all their roofs. The combined rooftop space of Kroger is 179 million square feet.  The company could produce enough electricity to meet the energy needs of more than 190,000 average households if it used those flat sunny roofs to harvest the sun’s rays.

4. Lowe’s

The home improvement chain stores have a more than 208 million square feet of rooftop space. If all of Lowes’ stores hosted rooftop solar panels, Lowe’s could harness enough solar energy to meet the energy needs of more than 223,000 average U.S. households.

3. The Home Depot

With 238 million square feet of rooftop space, if Home Depot maximized its rooftop solar potential the Minnesota-based retailer could power 256,000 homes.

2. Target

Target stores across America have more than 240 million square feet of rooftop space that could be used for solar. Solar on the roofs of all Target stores could produce enough electricity to power more than 250,000 average American households. Target already has more than 540 rooftop solar installations in America and in 2022 unveiled the first Target store that produces as much energy as it uses thanks to rooftop solar and a parking lot canopy.

1. Walmart

The American retailer with the most rooftop solar potential is Walmart. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based chain has stores across America that have more than 780 million combined square feet of rooftop space that could be used for solar. If Walmart tapped the rooftop solar potential of its retail locations it could produce enough electricity to power more than 842,000 homes.

What if Walmart went solar on all it’s stores?

We will all benefit when Walmart commits to using its roofs to harness solar power.

More clean energy means less air pollution that makes us sick. Rooftop solar also reduces the need for costly transmission lines and less undeveloped land that needs to be committed to clean energy infrastructure. And when coupled with battery storage, rooftop solar promises community resiliency benefits.  9 out of 10 Americans live within 10 miles of a Walmart. If Walmart stores had rooftop solar and energy storage, stores could have power even when the grid is down. Being able to charge a phone or get fresh food during an emergency such as a hurricane, flood or wildfire could be the lifeline many people need in dire circumstances.

Walmart’s leadership and commitment would also create an example for others to follow. According to Rooftop Solar on the Rise, solar energy in the commercial sector is still very underutilized. Walmart’s leadership can help compel other retailers to use their rooftops to harness the power of the sun.

Urge Walmart to go solar

You can make a difference today to help America reach its rooftop solar potential by signing the petition urging Walmart to commit to putting solar panels on its roofs and parking lots by 2035.  When you take action, you’ll join more than 150 organizations reflecting diverse backgrounds, 72 elected officials representing more than 9 million constituents, and thousands of Walmart customers and others who are urging Walmart to “go solar”.