Best Buy adds more solar generation to portfolio

Best Buy has added two solar sites to its portfolio: a rooftop "community solar garden" at a store in Long Island City, New York, and a solar field near a distribution center in Dinuba, California. Community solar lets a solar installation feed power into the local grid, with the output credited to subscribers who don't have panels on their own roof, often as a way to access solar savings without installing anything at home. The New York rooftop system is expected to produce about 461,800 kilowatt-hours a year, enough to power an estimated 44 homes and businesses. The California solar field has a larger capacity, nearly 5.87 gigawatt-hours annually, enough for about 559 homes, and will help run the nearby distribution center.

These two projects add to five solar sites Best Buy already operates in South Carolina, Michigan, California and Texas. The company is working toward a 2040 net-zero emissions target and a goal of cutting its direct and energy-related emissions 75% by 2030 compared with a 2009 baseline. It says it has already cut those emissions by 74%.

For homeowners, this is mainly a corporate sustainability move rather than something that changes your options directly. But it's a reminder that community solar programs exist in some areas, letting people subscribe to a shared solar project and get bill credits even if their own roof isn't suited for panels. Availability depends on where you live, so it's worth checking whether a community solar option exists in your state.