Target named top corporate solar installer in US

October 19, 2016
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
142MW of corporate solar was added in the US in 2016 — more than what was installed in all of 2015 (129MW). Image: Mike Mozart / Flickr

A new report from the Solar Energy Industries Association released Wednesday announced that retail company Target stands as the top corporate solar installer in the United States.

Adding more PV energy this year than any other US retailer, Target now boasts 147.5MW of installed solar capacity. This news stands as the first time that Target has ranked first overall in the report’s five-year history.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

John Leisen, vice president of property management at Target, said: “We feel honored to be named the top corporate solar installer in the US by the Solar Energy Industries Association. At Target, sustainability is a principle that drives the decisions we make across the company – from the products we make to the way we run our business. We're incredibly proud of the progress we've made in improving building efficiencies and reducing environmental impact. Our commitment to installing solar panels on 500 stores and distribution centers by 2020 is evidence of that progress.”  

Other companies recognized in the report's Top 10 for their amount of solar capacity and number of solar installations include Walmart (145 MW), Prologis (107.8 MW), Apple (93.9 MW), Costco (50.7 MW), Kohl's (50.2 MW), IKEA (44 MW), Macy's (38.9 MW), General Growth Properties, Inc. (30.2 MW) and Hartz Mountain Industries (22.7 MW).

Tom Kimbis, SEIA’s interim president, said: “These blue-chip companies are proof that sustainability and profitability is not an either-or proposition. Investing in solar is a common-sense decision that pays dividends for both the environment and companies' bottom lines and these leaders deserve a big round of applause. They're not only helping to create thousands of American jobs in solar, the nearly 2,000 corporate systems highlighted in this report are generating enough clean electricity to offset more than 1.1 million metric tons of harmful carbon emissions a year.”

The report added that 142MW of corporate solar was added in the US in 2016 – more than what was installed in all of 2015 (129MW). 

16 June 2026
Napa, USA
PV Tech has been running PV ModuleTech Conferences since 2017. PV ModuleTech USA, on 16-17 June 2026, will be our fifth PV ModulelTech conference dedicated to the U.S. utility scale solar sector. The event will gather the key stakeholders from solar developers, solar asset owners and investors, PV manufacturing, policy-making and and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out the PV module supply channels to the U.S. out to 2027 and beyond.

Read Next

November 24, 2025
US solar module manufacturer First Solar has inaugurated its 3.5GW vertically integrated manufacturing facility in the state of Louisiana, the company’s fifth factory in the US.
November 21, 2025
CPS Energy has issued a request for proposals (RFP) to acquire 600MW of new solar capacity through power purchase agreements (PPA).
November 20, 2025
US independent power producer (IPP) Arevon Energy has begun construction on a 124MW solar PV project in Illinois, its first utility-scale project in the state.
November 19, 2025
The US Department of Energy (DOE) will need to invest US$25 billion by 2030 to maintain its position as a leader in the global energy sector.
Premium
November 18, 2025
PV Talk: George Touloupas of Intertek CEA explains how the regulatory environment is ratcheting up for the solar supply chain.
November 17, 2025
US solar module manufacturer First Solar will build a new production facility in the state of South Carolina, which will bring its US nameplate manufacturing capacity to 17.7GW by 2027.

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Upcoming Webinars
December 4, 2025
2pm GMT / 3pm CET
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK
Solar Media Events
March 24, 2026
Lisbon, Portugal