Santa Clarita’s JC Penney department store in the Valencia Town Center will soon generate some of its own electricity thanks to a new rooftop-solar power project, according to a company press release.

The store is one of 10 nationwide that are part of the pilot project, which JC Penney says is “the next step for JCPenney in its efforts to leverage new technologies and engage…in innovative energy programs.”

According to the press release, the company will contract with a solar power company to install  the solar panels on the roof of the JC Penney building, which has been part of the Valencia Town Center mall since it opened in 1992.

 JCPenney has engaged SunPower Corporation to install solar power systems on 10 JCPenney stores in California and New Jersey. Producing more than 4 megawatts of clean electric power, the systems will help avoid emissions of approximately 146,000 tons of carbon dioxide over their 30-year expected lifetime, which is equal to the annual greenhouse gas emissions generated by more than 800 cars.

I presume that 4 megawatts is the cumulative amount of electricity generated by the solar panels at all 10 stores, so it sounds like no single store will be completely powered by solar panels.

But it does say that JC Penney can expect some pretty hefty savings on their monthly electricity bills: the solar panels, once installed, “will provide immediate savings through lower-than-utility solar energy costs and a long term energy hedge for nearly 25% of the energy used at the stores.”

So it sounds like up to 25% of our JC Penney’s electricity will come from an abundant, renewable source: the sun!

JC Penney also plans to replace inefficient lighting and HVAC systems at the ten stores.

I imagine they selected Santa Clarita because of our abundant sunshine; no stores in Portland Oregon or Seattle are on the list after all. So it will be interesting to see if this experiment works out.  Will other retailers follow suit?