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Advanced Microgrid Solutions (AMS) would work with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. to deploy AMS's Hybrid Electric Building® technology in select Walmart stores in the U.S. Under the agreement, AMS will design, install and operate advanced energy storage systems at Walmart stores that will improve efficiency, guarantee energy savings, and provide fast, flexible grid support to local utilities, all at no upfront cost to Walmart.
In the first phase of the project, AMS will install 40MWh of advanced energy storage systems at 27 Walmart stores in Southern California. These energy storage systems will allow the retail giant to reduce costs by permanently reducing each store's peak electricity demand while providing dispatchable grid support to Southern California Edison (SCE).
"Cost efficiency is the hallmark of the Walmart brand," said Mark Vanderhelm, vice president, Energy for Walmart. "Adding energy storage capabilities to our clean energy resources reduces the capacity needed from the grid and is part of our commitment to increase reliance on renewable energy."
A global leader in clean energy and efficiency, Walmart has an ambitious goal to power 50 percent of their operations with renewable energy sources by 2025 and has already installed onsite generation, including solar PV, at 350 of its stores. Hybrid Electric Buildings® automatically and efficiently optimize a building's overall energy usage, controlling energy consumption and lowering costs, while generating revenues from utilities for grid services. Southern California Edison, one of the largest grid operators in the U.S., will be able to tap into these advanced energy storage systems to reduce demand on the grid as part of SCE's groundbreaking grid modernization project.
"When it comes to sustainable and efficient energy management, Walmart sets the global standard," said Susan Kennedy, CEO of AMS. "Walmart continues to demonstrate its visionary leadership by delivering high quality and low costs for its customers."
(Photo Credit: Walmart via Flickr shared by CC 2.0)