Tesco opens world’s first zero carbon store

Tesco has opened the world’s first zero carbon supermarket in the UK as part of a £100m investment in green technologies.

The store, opened in Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, will feature on the store tour during the Insight NACS Future of International Convenience Retailing event in the autumn, 20-24 September 2010.

Tesco has been opening lower carbon footprint stores since 2005. The Ramsey store is described as the latest step in this journey. It has no net carbon footprint and exports back any extra electricity generated to the national grid.

Tesco Ramsey: world's first zero carbon store

Key environmental features include:

• A timber frame made from sustainable sources instead of steel, which cuts the carbon associated with building costs
• Combined heat and power plant which runs on bio fuels from renewable sources
• In-store lighting that dims as the natural daylight increases and roof lights that let the daylight on to the sales floor
• LED lights in the car park and petrol station. These use less energy and last longer than normal bulbs. According to Tesco, this is the first time in the UK LED lighting has been used to light a car park
• Rainwater collection facilities on the roof, which store water for use in the car wash and to flush store toilets
• Refrigerant gases in the fridges, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems that have virtually no environmental impact
• Solar-powered street lights and crossing beacons
• Energy efficient equipment such as low energy bakery ovens

Tesco chief executive, Sir Terry Leahy, said: “The challenge of climate change can only be faced by collective action. We want to cut our carbon footprint and help suppliers and customers do the same. We’ll be a zero carbon business by 2050 but only by working with our suppliers and others across the industry.

“I’m delighted to be opening the world’s first zero carbon supermarket and I believe it’s no coincidence it has opened here in the UK where many of the innovations which makes its construction and operation possible were designed and manufactured.”

Tesco has also pledged it will spend over £100m with UK green technology companies over the next year. Many of the suppliers initially working with Tesco in the UK are now providing advice on green technology in Tesco businesses across the world. Products include electric car charging points, C02 refrigeration and combined heat and power plants that generate green electricity.

One such company, PowerPerfector, has supplied units that optimise electricity supply cutting carbon and cost to Tesco since 2001. Tesco is installing 500 PowerPerfector units in 2010, at a cost of about £25m, as part of a rolling programme, which will see the equipment in most of its stores and distribution centres across the UK. Each unit will help a store save 5-8% of its total energy usage, saving approximately £12m a year.

PowerPerfector’s Angus Roberston said: “Tesco’s investment has meant that we’ve grown very quickly in the last year and we’ve doubled the number of people we employ. Their support and investment in our brand new technology also gives other customers the confidence we can deliver.”

Other green companies Tesco is working with include:

Enact Energy Management: EEM is helping Tesco bring a home insulation and renewables service to market. Through EEM, Tesco has given £5m in business to upwards of 70 local home insulation companies and has created jobs for 650 people. Tesco claims to have broadened the access of home insulation with a trusted brand, bringing simplicity and value to the market.

ECC Infracharge: ECC is a UK-based company, which makes and installs electric car charging points. To date it has installed five points at various locations including Tesco HQ. ECC is based in London. It develops product in Cambridge and assembles POD points in Letchworth. The company employs 10 people on the Tesco contract and has just won a contract to supply Transport for London. ECC’s CEO says that: “Working with Tesco really helps us – it gives others confidence in our ability. We were pleased to win the business as they are making a strong play in the area – not just talking about green like some do. It’s a very quickly growing industry – we only set up a year ago. Tesco is one of a number of players causing rapid growth in the industry and is helping to create jobs in the sector.”

Ener-g: Ener-g, a combined heat and power plant provider, has worked with Tesco for two years on 20 projects. It has 200 staff in the UK. Tesco has enabled the company to pilot innovations it couldn’t trial elsewhere.

Star refrigeration: Star works with Tesco on both refrigeration for depots and developing a new CO2 refrigeration formula for stores. It has been installed at Anan and Ramsey. In addition, Tesco and Star have jointly set up and funded a training school for the retail industry in Derby where engineers will be able to get a qualification in CO2 refrigeration. Star employs 300 people.

Cogenco: the company has provided CHP (combined heat and power generation) plants to Tesco since 2006. Congenco installed Tesco’s first CHP plant at Swansea and has worked with the retailer on approximately 20 projects. It employs 125 staff and assembles the plants in the UK.

Tesco Ramsey features wind catchers on the roof