Target to Open First Net-Zero Energy Location

Target will open its first net-zero energy store in Vista, Calif. The retrofitted location is expected to produce up to 10% energy surplus via 3,420 solar panels on the roof and new carport canopies.

Construction began on this new test facility in fall 2020, according to Target's blog, and finishing touches will be added through this winter. Target said the Vista facility will help it formulate plans around the future of its sustainability efforts. In addition to solar power, the building uses other features to help reduce emissions. The HVAC heating, for example, is powered by the rooftop solar panels and not natural gas. And the store uses carbon dioxide refrigeration that the company will roll out across the entire chain by 2040. This alone will help the company reduce its emissions by 20%, Target said. 

"We've been working for years at Target to shift toward sourcing more renewable energy and further reducing our carbon footprint, and our Vista store's retrofit is the next step in our sustainability journey and a glimpse of the future we're working toward," said John Conlin, SVP of properties for Minneapolis-based Target. "Our new stores and remodel programs are designed to help achieve our sustainability goals as we test, learn and scale our innovations over time across our operations."

Target Forward, the company’s sustainability strategy, was developed to allow the company to attain net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across all stores and facilities by 2040, which since 2017, has already helped the company reduce its direct operations’ emissions by almost 27%, it said. Target Forward encompasses strategies from solar and wind energy partnerships and contracts, to recycling and EV charging efforts.

"Target continues to be a top corporate solar user, and we're excited to see Target double down on its clean energy commitments with new solar carports and energy efficient buildings through this innovative and sustainable retrofit," said Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of Solar Energy Industries Association.