Toys “R” Us, Inc. is an international toy and electronics retailer based in the United States. In 2011, they took steps to reduce electricity costs and carbon emissions by installing a solar photovoltaic (PV) system at their distribution center in Flanders, New Jersey. Prior to installing the system, the distribution center had used an average of 8 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity and produced a carbon emission of 4,000 metric tons annually, resulting in more than $500,000 in energy costs.

Toys “R” Us, together with Constellation Energy Group, selected Advanced Green Technologies (AGT) to design and install a 5.38 megawatt solar PV system on the roof of the distribution center. The massive system will cover more than 70% of the 1 million sq. ft standing seam roof; making it at the completion, the largest single rooftop installation in North America. With this solution, not only will Toys “R” Us significantly reduce carbon emissions, they will benefit from the incredible energy savings.

The completed solar PV system provides up to 72% of the electricity needed to run the distribution center (6 million kWh annually); saving Toys “R” Us an average of $366,000 in energy costs per year ($7 million over 20 years). In addition, the distribution center has reduced carbon emissions by more than 4,000 metric tons per year (80,000 metric tons over 20 years); qualifying Toys “R” Us to receive 7,500 Green-e® certified renewable energy certificates (RECs) over 3 years.