Tesco has signed a deal to acquire enough solar energy to power 144 of its large stores, purchasing almost two-thirds of the electricity generated by the Cleve Hill solar park in Kent.
The £450m solar park, developed by Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners on farmland near Faversham, will provide Tesco with up to 10% of its UK electricity needs over the next 15 years, generating enough renewable energy to power the stores for a year.
The site will feature over 560,000 solar panels and energy storage infrastructure, making it a “significant contributor to the UK’s renewable energy landscape,” with EDF providing power balancing and shaping services to facilitate the agreement.
Construction started early last year, and is thought to be operational by the beginning of next year. According to the grocery giant, the deal represents the largest corporate power purchase deal for a solar farm in the UK.
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Tesco CEO Ken Murphy said: “We’re delighted to be announcing such a significant step in our journey towards carbon neutrality across our own operations by 2035.
“With its ability to provide vital energy storage infrastructure, it’s a key part of the renewable energy strategy in the UK, and further evidence of our commitment to tackle climate change and source green electricity from innovative projects like this.”
Over the past five years, the supermarket has worked on multiple energy projects, helping the retailer source green electricity directly from windfarms and solar parks across the UK.
With the addition of Cleve Hill, these power purchase agreements will cover 45% of Tesco UK’s – or 36% of the group’s – expected electricity demand in 2030.
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