JC Penney to follow Kohl's solar program

From an article by Jesse B. Gill in The Sun (San Bernardino):

REDLANDS - A Palm Grove Centre retailer is taking steps to be kinder to the environment - and its energy bill.

JC Penney is planning to use technology that would supply solar energy and wind to power its store. The company's plan to switch to renewable energy sources includes nine other JC Penney stores and a distribution center.

The Redlands store should be running on solar power by November, Lyons said.

Once it is equipped with solar panels, the system should provide about 25percent of the store's energy, said JC Penney spokesman Tim Lyons. JC Penney will also use electric meters and other data-gathering technology to monitor the amount of electricity used.

The decision to use solar power is a move the county supports, said Pat McGuckian, a county planner.

"It's something encouraging," he said. "It's certainly responsive to assist us to reduce the impacts of greenhouse gases. . . ."

McGuckian said JC Penney might not be the only store in the "doughnut hole," the nickname of the area given to an unincorporated area in northwest Redlands, to make the switch to solar power.

Kohl's has proposed to install solar panels on its store in Citrus Plaza, he said. A representative of Kohl's indicated that solar energy might be an option for the Redlands store.

Mary Ann Campbell, public relations manager for Kohl's, said no plans for a solar conversion are set in stone, though.

Kohl's solar program spans six states: California, Oregon, Wisconsin, Maryland, Connecticut and New Jersey.

"We hope to add states in the coming months," Campbell said.

"To date, we have converted 43 locations to solar power and we have plans to activate approximately 85 additional sites."