How energy efficient is your local supermarket?

There has been an increased rise in the attention given to the environment and the damage carried out by businesses in recent years. According to research from the Global Carbon Project, carbon emissions are still growing at an exponential rate. In 2018 they reached a record high of 2.7% – the fastest rate of growth experienced in over seven years. It is clear, therefore, that although we might be trying to do our bit in helping to turn around the pending climate crisis, we are still not doing enough.

One of the most significant factors in helping to protect the environment is through being energy efficient, and supermarkets can play a massive part in helping to cut down on carbon emissions. Supermarkets are enormous consumers of energy, through their use of freezers, refrigerators which are constantly being opened, heating and air conditioning, amongst other things.

With the average consumer able to choose where we spend our money on groceries, understanding where our favourite supermarket stands in relation to energy efficiency can and should be important.

Around the world, we are beginning to see more and more supermarkets prioritising energy efficiency and adapting themselves, which is starting to pay dividends to all things green.

Twenty Danish supermarkets now have the technology to allow them to send their surplus heat into local district heating networks, the equivalent to cutting back on their carbon emissions by 34%.

Finland’s pilot supermarket in Oulu consumes just 40% of the energy of a normal UK grocery store. They use a combination of solar power and storing energy to cut down their energy use and can even disconnect their cold chain from the grid occasionally.

So, what is happening in the UK and how do British supermarkets compare?

What the UK has achieved so far

Anybody who is living in the UK will be aware of certain measures which have been implemented by supermarkets. The elimination of free plastic bags, changes in packaging to be better recycled and some attempts at reducing the amount of packaging used are some of the smaller efforts that supermarkets are doing.

In the UK, 12% of the country’s carbon emissions are created by Britain’s large, commercial refrigerating systems. Trials have been taking place between Tesco and the University of Lincoln to test whether they can use the stored up energy in freezers to help to provide a ‘virtual battery’ for the country, by cutting the energy when it is not needed as the food is cold enough.

Back in April this year, Sainsbury’s also announced their partnership with Npower – as their white label deal with British Gas came to a close – in the aim to create a bespoke Energy Saving Scheme. In the scheme, customers are supplied with 100% renewable energy as well as extra Nectar card points for switching.

The future

In the UK we have seen some supermarkets making incremental changes to their operational supply chains in the name of energy efficiency. However, while some changes are better than none and should be celebrated, we should also continue to collectively encourage these retail giants to take more action.

Could most supermarket chains be reluctant to make big changes, as they are unwilling to risk losing customers by reducing convenience or choice?

For supermarket chains that operate both nationally and locally, it can be difficult to know exactly what can be done, especially if there isn’t the budget to work on large-scale trials or enough education surrounding the adoption of an energy-saving philosophy.

Although British supermarkets are beginning to show an interest in cutting down carbon emissions, to be able to really make a difference, it’s time to think bigger. Whilst we are certainly not at the bottom of the list in terms of energy-efficient supermarkets, there is considerably more than our UK retail chains can be doing to protect the future of our planet.

To discuss efficient air-conditioning solutions for your business, get in touch with the team at RSY today.