Co-op has today (1 October) announced it is to enter a seven-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) to utilise energy generated from a wind farm located off the coast of North Wales.
The group is working in partnership with RWE - the UK’s leading electricity producer and a global leader in renewable energy – to increase the amount of renewable energy it procures to support national energy security and accelerate its path towards decarbonisation.
Under the new agreement, Co-op will source electricity produced from the Gwynt y Môr offshore wind farm to help power its estate, including food stores across the UK.
RWE will supply Co-op with a total volume of 33 gigawatt hours (GWh) of clean electricity annually - enough to power the equivalent of around 140 Co-op stores a year, equal to 12,200 homes.
Heather Thomas, group property and sustainability director at Co-op, said: “We’re delighted to announce this further PPA signing, as we continue to strengthen our energy purchasing strategy by making impactful changes across our business.
“For the sake of people and planet, it’s vital that collectively we tackle the climate crisis. The energy transition is central to energy security and therefore national security too.”
Olaf Lubenow, head of commodity solutions UK, north and south Europe at RWE Supply & Trading, added: “This contract will help Co-op to meet an increasing proportion of its energy needs from renewable sources. We’re seeing continued growth in interest in sustainable energy solutions in the UK retail sector.”
The news of Co-op’s latest PPA follows on from the completion of a landmark solar panel project at Co-op’s largest depot in Biggleswade, the roll out of plans to install solar panels on up to 700 sites and the launch of a new solar farm in Cambridgeshire.
No comments yet