Retail giant, Shoprite, doubles solar energy generation capacity in 2021

South African retailer, Shoprite Group, has announced plans to power 25% of its operations with renewable energy over the next five years. The retail giant added 22 new solar PV (photovoltaic) sites between February and September 2021.

The solar installations more than doubled Shoprite’s solar capacity and represent a 138% increase to 29 280MWh per year. This output, generated by solar panels spread across the equivalent of 14 rugby fields, could power 2 674 households for a year, thus easing the pressure on the national grid. 

With surging Eskom electricity prices and recurrent power outages, many businesses in South Africa are turning to solar to supplement their energy requirements. 

Shoprite’s rollout of solar energy systems at its facilities is in line with the group’s strategy to mitigate climate change. The programme will include procurement of a significant number of solar-powered refrigerated trucks and trailers.

According to Sanjeev Raghubir, Shoprite’s Sustainability Manager, the Group intends on reducing its indirect greenhouse gas emissions by using more renewable energy, and continuously improving energy efficiency to manage its electricity costs which approaches R2.5bn a year. At the same time, the group is strengthening the resilience and adaptive capacity of its operations and supply chain to ensure responsible business continuity, and that of the local communities in which it operates.   

Shoprite’s new solar PV sites now include Shoprite stores in Ficksburg, Bethlehem Kroonstad, De Aar, Bronkhorstspruit, Brakpan, Vryburg, Delft, Worcester, Beaufort West, Paarl, Kraaifontein and Ondangwa in Namibia. Checkers stores with new solar installations include Welkom, Virginia Circle, Zevenwacht, Stellenbosch, Protea Heights and Checkers Hypers in Sandown and Sun Valley.

The Group now has 41 solar PV installations – this includes two at its distribution centres (Basson and Centurion), 38 supermarkets in South Africa and Namibia, as well as a parking lot at its home office.

“Plans to continue to install solar and other renewable power will go a long way towards realising the Group’s climate change objectives and targets, specifically net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050,” said Shoprite in a statement.