By Olena Rubin
One of the nation’s largest retailers is taking steps now to reduce its dependency on oil.

Wal-Mart decided to launch the pilot program right here in Hawaii. This program is the first installation of its kind, with three more Hawaii locations expected by the end of the year.

You wouldn’t know it to look at it, but there’s something new about the Sam’s Club on Keeaumoku Street…nearly 1500 panels converting the suns rays into electricity.

“I think we are the first ones, yes, on the island that is correct,” Sam’s Club manager Mitch Cohen said.

Sam’s Club along with Wal-Mart are the first to install and utilize the technology at stores in Hawaii.

“This doesn’t completely replace our energy, we are looking for about a 15% reduction in energy use from this particular installation,” Cohen said.

The solar panels provide power for the store ranging from 20% on a sunny day to 10% on a cloudy day.

“It would be reduced almost like you know on a cloudy day you still get a sun burn,” SunEdison Hawaii President Keith Cronin said.

Hawaii is one of two states where the program is being launched. Wal-Mart officials are also converting about a dozen stores in California.

System provider SunEdison is handling the installation and maintenance of the solar panels, while Sam’s Club and Wal-Mart will pay SunEdison for the power used. Officials say the potential is there for big savings.

“They get to lock in their electricity rates for a prescribed period of time where with the price of oil it fluctuates and you don’t know what your going to pay,” Cronin said.

Not only do these solar panels provide added energy but they also block the suns rays from heating up the building.

“It actually has made the building colder, so as a result we are going to use less energy to run our air conditioners to reach the temperature we want to in the building so we are going to save money we didn’t even think about,” Cohen said.

Other locations soon to be equipped with solar energy panels are Wal-Mart stores in Mililani, Pearl City and Kailua-Kona.

The system is not capable of storing power to be used in the event of an earthquake or hurricane.

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