Supermarket chains Aldi UK and Iceland Foods have announced plans to roll out rooftop solar panels, as part of their respective renewable energy programmes.
Aldi said a further 90 of its stores will gain solar panels as part of a wider £7.7 million energy strategy investment, with 144 kWp solar systems being installed at 41 sites in 2025. An additional 49 stores in the UK will see solar panels installed in 2026.
According to the retailer, the new rooftop solar panels will generate an average of 100,000 kWh annually, with any new shops involved in its new store opening programme also being built with the solar systems.
Earlier this month, it was announced renewable energy company Greenvolt Next had partnered with Aldi to roll out rooftop solar panels across 44 of the retailer’s Irish stores over the next two years in a €5 million project.
Jonathan Neale, managing director for national real estate at Aldi UK, commented: “By expanding the use of solar panels across our UK stores, we’re making practical, long-term changes to how we power our operations, which will help us generate more of our energy on site from renewable sources.
“By investing in our estate now, we’re strengthening the resilience of our operations and helping ensure we can keep delivering great value for customers across Britain in a more sustainable way.”
Last week, Aldi competitor Iceland said it had partnered with Shawton Energy to roll out rooftop solar panels across multiple sites in the UK. The Iceland store on Penny Lane, Liverpool, was the first of the Iceland stores to install on-site renewable energy with Shawton, closely followed by the Food Warehouse shop in Queensferry.
Stores on Iceland’s rooftop solar panel rollout list include those located in Coventry, Shrewsbury, Doncaster, Leicester, Waterlooville, Ellesmere Port, and Dover.
Graham Ireland, head of energy & mechanical services at Iceland, said: “Sustainability is a core priority for our business, and this rooftop solar project marks another major step forward in reducing our carbon footprint across the Iceland estate.
“In 2021, we became the world’s first retailer to commit to be net zero carbon, and by generating clean, renewable energy on site, we’re taking a major step toward meeting our environmental goals.”
Read more about retail solar strategy on Green Retail World
[image credit: Green Retail World]
