In March, Coles joined its rivals Woolworths and Aldi to become Australia’s final supermarket giant to switch to 100% renewable electricity. In order to reach its 2025 target, Coles today announced it has signed power purchasing agreements (PPAs) with both Engie and Neoen to source electricity from the two companies’ renewables portfolios.
Coles said when added to its onsite solar and preexisting large-scale generation certificate deals, it has sourced more than 70% of the renewable electricity required to meet its 2025 target – that is, once the PPAs with Neoen and Engie commence. Precisely when the deal starts is not yet clear, however.
Specifically, Coles will purchase large-scale generation certificates generated from Engie’s Willogoleche Wind Farm and Canunda Wind Farm in South Australia.
Coles will also purchase power from Neoen’s renewable power plants in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia – specifically which projects are not mentioned.
“[The PPAs] put us in a great position to be powered by 100% renewable electricity by the end of FY25,” Coles Chief Sustainability, Property and Export Officer Thinus Keeve said in a statement.
Notably, Coles already has an agreement in place with Lal Lal Wind Farms which is under construction in Victoria. It also has a 10-year PPA with Queensland state-owned generator CleanCo to source more than 90% of its Queensland energy requirements from the Western Downs Green Power Hub.
Coles has committed to be net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and to reduce combined Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions (that is, both direct and indirect emissions) by more than 75% by the end of financial year 2030, from a 2020 baseline.
Coles group includes its supermarkets, Coles Express outlets and alcohol retailers Liquorland, Vintage Cellars and First Choice Liquor in the commitment.
The move means that all three of Australia’s major supermarket chains will be 100% renewably powered by 2025 at the latest, with Aldi already meeting its target.
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