The UK’s largest retailer, Tesco, announced this week (30 May) that it has signed a new deal to take 150GWh of power from a Stranoch wind farm every year.
The site in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, which is being built by EDF Renewables UK and is due to become operational in 2026 with 20 turbines, is the latest in a series of renewable energy projects the supermarket is involved in as it aims to procure more of its own renewable electricity.
Known as a corporate power purchase agreement (PPA), the deal at the Stranoch wind farm will see Tesco taking enough clean energy to power the equivalent of more than 80 average sized supermarkets for 12 months.
Another wind farm in West Benhar was officially opened by EDF Renewables in North Lanarkshire at the end of February. In addition, four previously announced solar farms – including two operated by Schroders Greencoat, and two by EDF Renewables UK – will start generating renewable electricity for Tesco in due course.
The new sites bring the grocer closer to its target of 60% renewable electricity through PPA by 2030, with the clean electricity generated providing Tesco with energy to help power electric home delivery vehicles and HGVs, and air source heat pumps that are used to heat stores – as well as being the energy source for stores themselves.
PPAs and the long-term deals associated with them are central to sourcing renewable electricity, guaranteeing procurement over an average 20-year period, and they give energy providers confidence to invest and create new renewable energy for the National Grid.
Tesco said it has already met its 2030 ambition to switch to 100% renewable electricity in its own operations across the group, through a mixture of direct sourcing and renewable certificates. The business is now moving to ensure the majority of this renewable electricity comes from direct sourcing.
Andy Henley, Tesco corporate finance director, commented: “Scaling up the production of clean renewable energy has never been more important, so we’re delighted that five new renewable electricity sites have started generating clean green power for Tesco.
“These new sites are a sign of the strong progress we’re making across our PPA portfolio, and our partnership with EDF Renewables UK, Stranoch, moves us closer towards our target of reaching carbon neutrality in our own operations by 2035.”
Matthieu Hue, CEO of EDF Renewables UK, added: “Overall partnerships like this are pivotal to helping the country to achieve net zero.”
Read about Tesco rival Sainsbury’s wind farm investment, on Green Retail World
[image credit: Green Retail World]
