Coles and Origin will co-invest in renewable energy and battery assets at 100 Coles supermarkets and liquor stores.
Over the next three years, the retailer aims to install 20 megawatts of solar panels on top of 100 stores across the country. Batteries will be installed at one third of the stores to capture and store excess renewable electricity generated on-site.
Coles’ rooftop solar, batteries, and energy assets such as in-store heating, cooling and refrigeration systems will be connected to Origin’s virtual power plant to help ease pressure on the energy grid during peak periods of demand.
The alliance between Coles and Origin aims to help reduce each participating stores’ electricity use from the grid by around 20% on average and support Coles to achieve its 100% renewable electricity goals by June 2025.
Solar panel installation is currently underway at six Victorian stores. Installation at all 100 Coles supermarkets, Vintage Cellars, Liquorland and First Choice Liquor Market stores is expected to be completed by 2026.
Coles Head of Energy Jane Mansfield says this important alliance will help the retailer lower emissions, reduce electricity consumption from the grid and bring down operational costs, with 20 sites to be completed by next year.
“This alliance with Origin is an important step towards achieving our 100% renewable electricity target by June 2025,” she says.
“Over the next three years, we expect to install solar panels on 100 Coles supermarkets and liquor stores. These stores will have on average up to 20% of their electricity needs met by renewable electricity generated on-site.
“Not only will this investment in renewables help us reduce our emissions, [but] it will also lower our operational costs and allow us to meet more of our energy needs from our own on-site solar generation.”
Origin Zero Executive General Manager James Magill says Origin is thrilled to be working with Coles to support its transition to cleaner and smarter energy solutions.
“This is a landmark alliance between two of Australia’s leading retailers across supermarkets and energy which will see the companies co-invest in renewable energy and battery assets to help deliver greater emissions reductions for Coles,” he says.
“This also marks Origin’s largest customer aggregation agreement providing Frequency Control Ancillary Services (FCAS), allowing us to orchestrate 10MW of flexible energy use across heating, cooling and refrigeration assets at select Coles stores, which helps to support stable and safe operations of the grid.”