Macy’s Inc. will install solar power systems at 28 of its California stores, which will have the capacity to generate 8.9 megawatts of electricity.

The fashion and home product retailer kicked off the initiative, Sept. 28, at its Westminster, Calif. location. San Jose, Calif.-based SunPower Corp. will install a 294-kilowatt solar power system at the store that will generate about 586,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, offsetting more than 11 million pounds of carbon dioxide over the 30-year life of the system.

Macy’s also is working with SunPower to improve energy efficiency at its stores, which could reduce electricity needs by some 40 percent when combined with the solar energy initiative, nearly doubling the impact of the planned solar power installations. Combined, the measures will reduce Macy’s electricity consumption by more than 24 million kilowatt-hours annually and reduce its carbon footprint by more than 195 million pounds over the life of the solar power systems.

Macy’s has more than 800 locations in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam.

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