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Co-op has completed the installation of more than 6,700 solar panels at its regional distribution centre in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, as part of efforts to expand its direct procurement of renewable energy.
The 660,000sqft site, which serves more than 600 stores across southern England, is expected to generate 2,500 MWh of renewable energy annually to support depot operations. Co-op said the project would also ease pressure on the national grid and contribute to its goal of reaching net zero emissions across its operations by 2035.
The installation is part of a wider plan to add solar panels to up to 700 sites across Co-op’s food, funeralcare and logistics estate over the next three years.
The business, which has been campaigning on climate justice since 2021, recently published research with Green Alliance on the role of corporate energy users in supporting the energy transition. It has also signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) to back a solar farm in Cambridgeshire, and committed to buying the full output of a 34-megawatt solar farm in North Yorkshire, expected to be operational next year.
Co-op aims to reach net zero across its entire business by 2040. In March 2024, it became the first UK convenience retailer to have its net zero targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
Heather Thomas, group property and sustainability director at Co-op, said: “The completion of the solar panel installation at our Biggleswade depot is a landmark moment for Co-op. This initiative underlines our dedication to sustainability and demonstrates how businesses can make impactful changes to protect the planet.
“By harnessing renewable energy, we are not only reducing emissions but also setting a strong example of best practice on how sustainable energy can be effectively integrated into day-to-day business operations. We believe every business should be playing its part in accelerating the greening of the grid, by reducing energy demand and investing directly in renewable electricity generation.”
