SolarCity to install thin-film PV panels on 20-30 WalMart locations

Walmart plans to add thin-film photovoltaic panels to 20 to 30 sites in California and Arizona. SolarCity, Foster City, Calif., will design, install, own and maintain the new solar power systems on Walmart locations.

The new installations are expected to supply up to 20 to 30 percent of the total energy needs for each location.

Thin-film solar panels look similar to the traditional crystalline panels, but require fewer raw materials to manufacture, resulting in a smaller environmental impact over its life cycle. The Walmart projects are using both copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) and cadmium telluride thin film. Details