It may take a while for an idea that is revolutionary to take hold in America, but once it does we put our own unique stamp on it. Green technology like solar energy has been struggling to find a foothold in the American psyche, but thanks to rising gas prices, the coming winter and climate changes and finding new ways to monetize the technology we are now embracing it in a big way – a big box way.

That’s right, Sam’s Club part of the Wal•Mart family and purveyors of mass amounts of toilet paper and cheap lawn furniture, is getting in on the green technology bandwagon. Joining IKEA in the ranks of retailers capitalizing on the energy panic, Sam’s Club recently announced that you would be able to purchase your solar energy system through the chain’s big box discount stores.

At the moment this genius idea is only available in nine of the Sam’s Club stores in California. If the dry run this year is successful, you can expect to see solar energy products rolling into Sam’s club stores in other states with enough sun exposure to support it. This may leave areas of the country out in the cold, however.

New England is one area that gets enough sun to support solar energy, but then gets enough snow and ice for the implementation to be problematic. The panels must be installed in a way that does not promote ice dams on the roof or falter under snow loads often in excess of 4 feet at a time. This means that for retailers like Sam’s Club who sell easy fixes, the snowier markets might be left in the cold as not being cost effective to supply.

Green technology that capitalizes on wind may be the next viable market for the big box retailers and a way to service the snow-ridden North and North East. Wind turbines and wind mills don’t have the same problems with being buried under snow that solar panels do, and you can then mount solar panels at the top of them to melt any ice that forms on the blades – a potential win-win. Regardless, no single technology will be the answer to reducing our carbon footprint and saving money but making solar panels affordable for everyone is certainly a great start.

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Entry was posted on Saturday, August 16th, 2008 at 1:47 pm under Green Technology, Retail, Science and technology, Technology.

Read more entries by Leslie Poston.
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