skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, March 29, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Solar Power's Untapped Potential in South Dakota

play audio
Play

Tuesday, February 23, 2016   

PIERRE, S.D. - South Dakota has millions of square feet of untapped potential for solar power.

That's one finding of a recent report, entitled Solar on Superstores, which looks at how the unused rooftop space of big-box stores could generate clean-energy.

In South Dakota, that adds up to about 15 million square feet.

Bret Fanshaw, solar program coordinator at Environment America and report coauthor, says if South Dakota stores re-purpose these flat, vacant areas, it could eventually have multiple benefits for the state.

"South Dakota has the potential to limit their carbon emissions by 148,000 metric tons," says Fanshaw. "They could save $14 million on annual electricity spending by going solar."

The report notes if South Dakota stores fully converted their rooftops, which are almost always fully exposed to the sun, the move would generate enough electricity to power 15,000 homes.

Some retailers, however, have been slow to adopt solar technology. They say it can cost too much to buy the equipment. It can also be difficult to install solar arrays on roofs that are already cluttered with other machines, like air conditioning units.

Still, Fanshaw says big box retailers – like Target, which has at least five locations in South Dakota – can help lead the way.

"Target has started to make progress," says Fanshaw. "We're really excited that they, last year ,committed to putting solar on 500 of their stores by 2020. And we think the next step should be for them to commit to realizing their full potential and put solar on all their stores."

The report also finds if every retailer in the country converted to rooftop solar, it could reduce the same amount of pollution as taking about 12 million cars off the road.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week about the popular abortion pill Mifepristone and will weigh in on whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was correct in how it can be dosed and prescribed. (Ascannio/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Missouri residents are worried about future access to birth control. The latest survey from The Right Time, an initiative based in Missouri…


Social Issues

play sound

Wisconsin children from low-income families are now on track to get nutritious foods over the summer. Federal officials have approved the Badger …

Social Issues

play sound

Almost 2,900 people are unsheltered on any given night in the Beehive State. Gov. Spencer Cox is celebrating signing nine bills he says are geared …


The U.S. teaching workforce remains primarily white while the percentage of Black teachers has declined. However, the percentage of Asian and Latinx teachers is rising.(WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobestock)

Social Issues

play sound

Education advocates are calling on lawmakers to increase funding for programs to combat the teacher shortage. Around 37% of schools nationwide …

Environment

play sound

New York's Legislature is considering a bill to get clean-energy projects connected to the grid faster. It's called the RAPID Act, for "Renewable …

Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021