LOS ANGELES — Ralphs, a subsidiary of The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), today announced the installation of a photovoltaic solar power array at its automated distribution center in Paramount, Calif., a 555,000-square-foot building that provides products to 190 Ralphs stores and 95 Food 4 Less stores throughout Southern California.
This is the largest solar energy project to date for Kroger, featuring more than 7,000 solar panels to harness energy from the sun. The new installation has a 2 MW AC capacity and will generate 4.28 million kWh of clean power for the facility each year, representing approximately 50% of the facility’s total electricity needs.
“Ralphs is constantly exploring energy efficient technologies and renewable energy options that are respectful to our environment and the communities we serve,” said Mike Murphy, president at Ralphs. “These sustainability investments demonstrate to our customers and other valued stakeholders our commitment to being a responsible corporate citizen.”
The company’s supply chain team partnered with Affordable Solar on the installation with support from Southern California Edison and the City of Paramount.
The Ralphs distribution center solar installation in Paramount is one of three at Kroger’s supply chain facilities, with earlier installations completed at the Fred Meyer distribution center in Clackamas, Oregon and the Smith’s Food and Drug distribution center in Layton, Utah. Kroger has also installed solar power arrays at multiple stores. In 2018, Kroger’s wind and solar installations combined produced more than 14.59 million kWh of renewable power.
Ralphs is a model of innovation in the grocery industry, as the retailer has fully invested in the company’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste social impact plan that aims to end hunger in local communities and eliminate waste across the company by 2025.
To download video and photography of the solar installation at the Ralphs distribution center in Paramount, please visit here.
About Ralphs
Ralphs Grocery Company is dedicated to our purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit™. We are more than 18,000 associates serving customers in 190 supermarkets across Southern California. From the company’s headquarters in Los Angeles County, Ralphs is a recognized leader in community service and giving. Last year, the company contributed more than $6 million to support education, hunger relief, women’s health and local nonprofit organizations in the communities served by the company’s stores. Ralphs is a subsidiary of The Kroger Co., (NYSE:KR), one of the world’s largest retailers, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more about Ralphs, please visit our website at www.ralphs.com.
