The nation’s largest retailer is on a roll when it comes to solar power. Yesterday Walmart announced the installation of six more solar projects in Denver, bringing the total number of the retail giant’s solar power installations
to an impressive 100.

Built in a partnership with California-based SolarCity, the rooftop PV systems are enough to power 225 homes annually, and should provide 3 million kilowatt hours of electricity a year. Walmart and SolarCity say that these projects will prevent 5 million pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.

Walmart says its long term goal is to use clean energy at all of its American stores and distribution centers. SolarCity has been Walmart’s largest partner in this effort, with 75 projects completed between them and 49 more on the drawing board.

A power purchasing agreement (PPA) arrangement was the basis for the Walmart – SolarCity collaboration. SolarCity installs the systems for free, and owns and maintains them. Walmart then only pays for the power generated at a rate equal to or lower than the cost of electricity from the local utility.

The arrangement enables Walmart to incrementally scale its renewable energy agenda without investing large sums of money that would possibly be of concern to the company’s shareholoders.

In addition to Colorado, SolarCity has built rooftop solar power stations at Walmart stores in Arizona and California. By 2013, 130 stores, 75 percent of the company’s locations, will run solar.

Read more: Walmart’s 100th Solar Power Installation Gets Switched On in Colorado | Inhabitat – Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building