Costco ticked another box in its quest for energy independence this week with the announcement that two of its California distribution centers successfully completed fully integrated off-grid solar and battery systems.
Snohomish, Washington-based Trinity Energy installed rooftop solar, battery storage and electric vehicle charging solutions at the retailer’s Mira Loma and Ontario, California facilities.
Costco is a multi-billion dollar membership warehouse club with more than 800 stores worldwide.
Striving for energy independence
For Costco, the off-grid solar and battery system will provide a degree of energy independence, something that’s becoming increasingly important to businesses dealing with rising electricity prices and availability issues.
Across the country, demand for electricity is on the rise, driven by data centers, increased domestic manufacturing and the electrification of homes. This puts stress on the aging power grid and creates reliability issues. The price of electricity is also on the rise.
As a result, a growing number of organizations, from the military to food and beverage companies, are opting for on-site energy solutions that are not connected to the grid.
“Large-scale companies like Costco must take control of their energy future, especially in an environment of increasing energy uncertainty,” said Darin Leonard, CEO of Trinity Energy. “This project demonstrates that true energy independence is possible with a tailored, integrated system.”
Trinity utilizes modular electrified structures and integrated microgrids to create ecosystems that include solar, battery storage, inverters and energy distribution systems.
The solar systems could produce about 100 MWh of carbon-free energy annually, according to companies. Coupled with storage batteries, this could be enough to provide 11,750 hours of EV charging and off-set 3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.
Costco goes green
The systems will also help the Fortune 500 retailer meet its sustainability goals. The company has committed to operating with 100% clean energy sources by 2035. It aims to reduce its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 39% by 2030, according to the company’s Climate Action Plan.
The EV charging infrastructure at the Ontario and Loma Linda distribution centers will facilitate the electrification of 20 yard trucks across the two locations.
Costo and Trinity also launched 2 MWh off-grid microgrid at a warehouse in Norwalk, Connecticut, earlier this year. The solar and storage system will fully power the location’s standalone tire center.
