ALDI Australia’s transition to 100 per cent renewable electricity has been independently verified by the Clean Energy Regulator following the release of its 2023 Corporate Emissions Reduction Transparency (CERT) Report.
In the regulator’s second CERT Report, ALDI is one of 25 large Australian companies to be recognised for its sustainability efforts.
ALDI Australia sustainability director Daniel Baker said ALDI was one of only a handful of companies featured in the report to have fully transitioned its operations to 100 per cent renewable electricity sources.
“Sustainability is placed firmly at the core of ALDI’s values and operations, that is why we have an ongoing commitment to making a good difference for our planet. Given our focus and passion for our climate and energy commitments, ALDI is thrilled to have contributed to the CERT Report, making it easier for our customers to find verified data on our climate commitments and progress,” said Baker.
ALDI Australia’s renewable energy figures contribute to the ALDI SOUTH Group, which are then included in the company’s global emissions reductions statistics. ALDI SOUTH recorded an overall emission reduction of 56 per cent across its operations from its baseline year in 2016, exceeding its target to reduce overall emissions by 25 per cent by 2025.
In 2021, ALDI achieved its commitment to power operations with 100 per cent renewable electricity, six months ahead of schedule. According to the retailer, it was the first and is currently the only supermarket in Australia to power all offices, stores, and warehouses solely by renewable sources.
Solar installations
ALDI said the centre of its transition to 100 per cent renewables was three Power Purchase Agreements with Australian wind farms, which have supported its sustainability targets and helped bring down operational costs over the long-term.
ALDI Australia is also continuing to expand its network of solar panels across 25 additional freestanding stores over the next 18 months. The expansion will have the ability to provide an additional 34 megawatt peak (MWp) of power.
ALDI Australia currently has more than 105,000 panels fitted across 270 stores and six of its distribution centres, which would cover more than 6700 acres of land. In 2022, its solar panels generated more than 40,813 megawatt hours (MWh) of renewable electricity, enough to power over 7800 Australian homes.
“As one of Australia’s largest grocery retailers our responsibility to reduce our impact remains front of mind.
“The steps we’re taking in utilising renewable electricity epitomises ALDI’s ongoing commitment to Making a Good Difference. Not only are we reducing our impact on the planet, we’re also bringing down our operational costs so we can continue passing these savings onto our customers. It makes great business sense and ensures we’re continuing to deliver the highest quality groceries at the lowest prices,” said Baker.
Chiller door trials in NSW
The company said it continues to explore more ways it can further cut back on its energy usage, for example the use of wall chillers in selected stores will be retrofitted with fridge doors to keep products chilled more efficiently.
Following the success of fitting five initial stores in New South Wales with chiller doors, ALDI Australia is now rolling out the new chiller doors in an additional 15 stores across Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia. Refrigeration across ALDI stores accounts for 20 per cent of our total electricity usage and early results suggest this change could lead to a reduction in refrigeration energy usage of approximately 30 per cent. Customers in these states will start seeing the doors fitted from late September this year.
