Fresh & Easy Installs Solar Panels at 11 Stores

SN STAFF

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market here said Thursday it has installed solar panels on the rooftops of 10 stores in Phoenix and one in Los Angeles.

According to Fresh & Easy, the systems, from REC Solar, San Luis Obispo, Calif., will produce 746,000 kilowat hours of electricity annually to meet approximately 20% of each store’s energy production needs — equivalent to reducing 26 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions or eliminating 38 million miles driven by cars over the next 25 years.

Each of the Phoenix stores also features an in-store display that reports real-time solar energy production while explaining to customers how solar energy systems work.

Angiolo Laviziano, chief executive officer of REC, said, "Partnerships with companies like Fresh & Easy are critical to expanding the solar market in the U.S. and bringing solar into the mainstream. The projects demonstrate that a large number rof smaller individual store rooftops can add up to significant operating savings."