GIANT Food Stores Offsets 100% of Electricity Needs With Largest Corporate Solar Project in PA

GIANT Food Stores, part of the Ahold Delhaize family of companies, is a leading retail chain serving millions of customers each week across the East Coast. First opened in 1923 as a meat market, GIANT now includes supermarkets, superstores, a home delivery service, and fueling stations. Part of one of the country’s largest retail groups, the company is committed to finding innovative solutions to manage energy costs and ensure reliable service for its customers.

The Challenge

Meeting High Energy Demands in Retail Operations

With extensive operations and a constant need for refrigeration and freezing to keep products fresh, GIANT faces significant electricity demand across its organization. The company identified onsite solar energy as a way to reduce its operating expenses while also contributing to the environmental sustainability of the communities it serves. However, GIANT would need to partner with a solar provider experienced in constructing the type of large-scale systems that can generate enough energy to provide significant financial savings.

PowerFlex’s Solution

Two-Phase Solar Project Capable of Powering Entire Facility With ‘Free’ Energy

INSTALLATION TYPE

Rooftop & Ground-Mounted Solar

INSTALLATION SIZE

2.5 MW

LOCATIONS

Carlisle, PA

ANNUAL ENERGY PRODUCTION

3.1 Million kWh

INCENTIVES

Pennsylvania Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SREC) Program

To help GIANT Food Stores manage its substantial electricity requirements, PowerFlex designed and installed a 2.5-megawatt (MW) solar energy system at the company’s Carlisle, PA headquarters. At the time of completion, it was the single largest commercial solar project in the entire state.

The project came together in two phases: A 625-kilowatt (kW) array consisting of more than 1,800 individual solar panels was installed on the building’s roof followed by an expansive 1.9-MW ground-mounted array on 5 acres of property on the corporate campus. The system generates more than 3 million kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually, enough to power 100% of the facility’s operations. On days when solar energy production outpaces onsite consumption, GIANT is able to export the surplus to the grid in exchange for utility bill credits, a practice called net metering.

Besides the extensive cost savings from leveraging what is essentially free energy generated on site, GIANT also enjoys big sustainability benefits. The system’s energy output is equivalent to avoiding 5 million pounds (2,500 tons) of carbon dioxide emissions each year as well as avoiding 370,000 gallons of gasoline. Additionally, the installation incorporates pollinator habitats to support bees and other pollinators in an effort to address bee colony loss.