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Aldi commits to convert to 100-per-cent renewable energy

Aldi’s solar panel installation on a supermarket rooftop.

Discount grocer Aldi in Australia has pledged to use 100-per-cent renewable energy to power its operations by the end of 2020.

The supermarket chain has already reduced its overall operational emissions from the 2012 baseline by 40 per cent.

Aldi said in a statement that it will complete its solar panel installation and the recent procurement of two 10-year power purchasing agreements on wind farms in the NSW Southern Tablelands and Western Victoria. The company said the project will provide 180,000 MWh renewable energy to all of its stores in NSW and Victoria, resulting in a cut of over 160,000t of carbon emissions per year.

Workers installing solar panels.

The company is installing solar panels on the rooftops of its real estate portfolio that will harness 15 per cent of its total energy needs from the sun. It is targeting over 250 of Aldi Australia stores and six distribution centres for solar installations, totalling 102,000 panels of onsite solar energy generation.

Aldi is the 64th biggest user of electricity in Australia with 555 stores and eight distribution centres. It is using LED lighting and it upgraded to natural refrigerants in 175 stores and six distribution centres.

“We will continue to work within our business and closely with our business partners to reduce emissions and preference renewable sources of energy,” said Tom Daunt, CEO of Aldi Australia.

One of the wind farms Aldi will source energy from.

Aldi Australia’s sustainability efforts are a part of the global commitment on climate protection endorsed by the Science-Based Target Initiative (SBTI). The discount grocer said SBTI validated them in agreement with CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute and the World Wide Fund for Nature.

Aldi Australia has also encouraged its business partners to implement their own science-based emissions targets by the end of 2024.

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