Aldi Australia is committing to 100% renewable electricity to power its Australian operations by the end of 2021. This commitment follows a successful 40% reduction of overall operational emissions intensity from a 2012 baseline.
The commitment to be 100% powered by renewable electricity will be possible at the completion of a vast solar installation program and the recent procurement of two ten-year Power Purchasing Agreements (PPAs) with large scale wind farms.
The wind farms, located in the New South Wales Southern Tablelands and Western Victoria, will provide renewable energy to all Aldi stores located in New South Wales and Victoria. These will generate over 180,000 MWh of electricity and result in over 160,000t carbon emissions avoided each year.
Aldi will also use the rooftops of its real estate portfolio to harness more than 15% of its total energy use from the sun. By the end of 2020, over 250 of Aldi Australia’s stores and six Distribution Centres will have solar installations, totalling 102,000 panels of onsite solar energy generation, preventing 41,000 tonnes of carbon emissions entering the atmosphere every year.
This will see Aldi have Australia’s largest commercial and industrial solar rollout to date, and is the equivalent of taking 11,700 cars off the road per year or generating enough electricity to power 7,000 average Australian homes.
The commitment to renewable energy has driven Aldi’s investment in more efficient systems including reducing energy consumption by LED lighting and energy efficient chillers, upgrading to natural refrigerants and installing solar power systems, currently on 175 stores and six distribution centres.
Aldi Australia CEO Tom Daunt said, “We are proud to have built a reputation for providing customers with high quality products and an affordable shopping experience. As we continue our journey in Australia, we want to reassure our shoppers that how we conduct business is equally important as the value we offer.”