Solar-Powered Safeway

Safeway is the world’s first grocery store to run entirely on solar power. The North American food retailer installed solar panels on the roof of a California store and hopes to add them to about 24 more in an attempt to be more eco-friendly.

Safeway also has “state-of-the-art refrigeration system technology that is reducing electricity demand at new stores, and has installed no-heat freezer case doors that reduce electric heating,” according to Stockhouse. “Safeway’s Lifestyle stores use LED (Light Emitting Diodes) lights for its exterior lights and signage, requiring 90 percent less energy to operate than traditional neon lights and signs.”

By using solar energy at the Dublin store, Safeway is removing 487,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air, the equivalent of taking 50 passenger cars off the road annually or planting 184 acres of pine trees. The entire 23-store solar program will remove 10.4 million pounds of carbon dioxide from the air, the equivalent of taking 1,000 cars off the road annually or planting 4,000 acres of pine trees