Retail
Bloom is a trusted partner in the retail space, powering over 300 store, warehouse, and distribution locations across the U.S.
Industry at
a Glance
Retailers operate a diverse range of facilities – stores, distribution centers, warehouses, production plants, corporate campuses – all with their own unique energy profiles.
A key challenge for these organizations is figuring out what is the most impactful way to move the needle and maintain profitability when competition is stiff and margins are thin.
Retailers also have important business continuity requirements and must stay open and fully operational for customers in times of need.
Quick Facts About
the Retail Industry
- Retail buildings consume $20 billion in energy each year.
- Energy represents a significant portion of retail operating costs.
- A 10% decrease in energy spend equates to an 8% increase in sales per square foot.
- 1 in 3 retailers lose power every month.
- 41% are without power for 1+ hour.
- 1 hour of downtime can cost large retailers $5 million.
Overcoming Energy
Challenges
Preventing Outages
U.S. grid outages have increased 60% over the past decade. It’s critical for retailers to increase their preparedness so that when the time comes, they can remain open, operational and be safe, reliable anchors for their communities in times of need.
Resilient Solution
As a critical, always-on solution, microgrids can operate alongside a main grid, but independently of it during a power outage. Bloom enables retailers to protect themselves from increasingly frequent and lengthy outages, both planned and unplanned.
Lowering Emissions
Sustainability and energy management have increasingly become key areas of focus for retail organizations. Many have put these strategies at the forefront of their brands and are constantly innovating across the value chain to reduce environmental impacts.
Sustainable Solution
Fuel cells generate electricity though an electrochemical process rather than combustion. This avoids emitting harmful criteria air pollutants that cause severe respiratory diseases and poor air quality worldwide. Fuel cells reduce carbon emissions compared to the grid and combustion-based technologies, and are also fuel flexible with the ability to run on biogas or hydrogen for carbon neutral emissions options.
Controlling Costs
Many retail organizations have tight operating budgets, so it’s especially important to find low- or no-cost ways to reduce expenses. Traditional electricity delivered from the grid exposes store operators to fluctuating prices that make budgets difficult to set and achieve.
Predictable Solution
Bloom offers several financing options that require no upfront capital to engage which is very compelling for customers who are looking reduce operating expenses. By fixing a large portion of electricity spend, customers are able to hedge against volatility and price escalation keeping spend predictable.