Dive Brief:
- Burlington has expanded several on-site solar installations across its distribution center network as the retailer looks to lower operating costs and environmental impact, according to a 2025 Corporate Social Responsibility report published this year.
- By the conclusion of fiscal year 2025, which ended Jan. 31, 2026, Burlington advanced plans for on-site solar systems at its new distribution center in Ellabell, Georgia, as well as an upcoming facility to be built in Arizona, per the report. The company did not provide additional details about the plans and declined to comment when reached by Supply Chain Dive.
- Burlington also plans to grow its solar generation portfolio at two new distribution centers in California on track for 2026, according to the report.
Dive Insight:
Burlington has been making efforts to increase the use of renewable energy across its operations. In fiscal year 2025, the retailer reported that 25% of its electricity consumption was from renewable resources, surpassing its goal of 20% by 2030.
As part of its sustainability push, the retailer has been making significant investments in solar power beyond distribution sites. By the end of fiscal 2025, Burlington executed agreements for on-site solar across operations in New Jersey, California and Massachusetts, the retailer reported. Burlington also expanded renewable electricity supply agreements across the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and West Coast during the fiscal year.
Several other retailers have also made efforts to advance energy efficiency in a bid to reduce supply chain emissions, including by investing in onsite and offsite solar power at supply chain facilities.
Gap Inc., for instance, aims to source 100% renewable electricity for its company-operated facilities by 2030, according to a 2025 Impact Report published in June. As of the end of fiscal year 2025, which also concluded Jan. 31, 2026, 46% of the retailer’s electricity across company-operated facilities were sourced from renewable sources. This includes a solar installation at a distribution center in Fresno, California.
Walmart is also pursuing clean energy solutions through new construction, remodels and system upgrades across its distribution centers and retail locations, according to the retailer’s fiscal 2026 ESG Report.
Like Gap, Walmart is progressing toward its goal of using 100% renewable energy by 2035. Per its report, more than 53% of Walmart’s global electricity consumption was supplied by renewable energy sources as of fiscal year 2026, which ended Jan. 31, 2026. As part of these efforts, Walmart’s U.S. operations produced 125 megawatts of onsite solar capacity across 303 facilities.
TJX Companies has also deployed on-site solar capabilities at some of its U.S. distribution centers, including in Arizona, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Nevada and Texas, according to its 2025 Global Corporate Responsibility Report. Meanwhile, Best Buy installed its first solar field at a distribution center in California this year. The field, which can generate nearly 6 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually to power the facility, is part of a larger strategy to slash supply chain emissions.
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