Coles inks deal to source 10pc of power needs from newly built solar energy plants

Coles has inked a deal to source 10pc of its energy needs from newly built solar plants.

Solar panels installed at the Macalister Demonstration Farm in Victoria.

Coles has become the first Australian retailer to sign up to a solar energy scheme that will see the equivalent of 10 per cent of the supermarket’s national electricity usage supplied from newly built solar power plants.

Solar power plants capable of generating sufficient electricity for 39,000 homes will be built in regional New South Wales following a landmark 10-year agreement between Coles (COL) and global renewable power generation company Metka EGN.

In what Coles is heralding as the first deal of its kind to be made by a major Australian retailer, Coles will purchase more than 70 per cent of the electricity generated by three solar power plants to be built and operated by Metka EGN outside the regional centres of Wagga Wagga, Corowa and Junee.

The photovoltaic solar plants will supply more than 220 gigawatt hours of electricity into the national electricity grid. Producing the same amount of power from non-renewable sources would result in more than 180,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions every year, or the equivalent of the annual emissions of 83,000 cars, Coles said in a statement this morning.

Coles chief executive Steven Cain said the increased use of renewable energy was a major part of the company’s commitment to be the most sustainable supermarket in Australia.

“We have already made changes throughout our business to use energy more efficiently, which has enabled us to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 4 per cent over the past financial year and more than 30 per cent since 2009, despite growing our store network.

“Over the past two financial years alone we have invested more than $40 million in energy efficiency measures including upgrading all store lighting to LED by the end of 2019 and the installation of solar panels on 30 stores.”

Coles chief property and export officer Thinus Keeve said Coles was the first major Australian retailer to commit to buying renewable energy through a Power Purchase Agreement.

“Agreements like this are crucial to growing renewable generation capacity in Australia because they give the developers the certainty they need to invest,” he said.

As well as supporting large-scale generation projects, Coles is working with property partners to increase on-site generation of renewable power at stores and distribution centres.

“We plan to install solar panels on another 38 stores this financial year and we will be working with our landlords and property developers to identify further locations suitable for on-site solar power generation,” Mr Keeve said.

The new solar plants are expected to support more than 250 jobs in regional NSW, including over 240 during construction and 10 ongoing roles. Construction is scheduled to begin in September and the plants are expected to commence supplying power to the grid in July 2020.