Coles has stepped up its climate momentum with a series of energy deals to propel the supermarket giant, one of the country’s biggest energy users, to hit its target to be powered by 100% renewable electricity by 2025.
Wind Turbine during sunset.
The supermarket chain will source renewable electricity generated at wind and solar farms across Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland.
REenergise campaign director Lindsay Soutar, from Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said Coles’ announcement signified the clean energy momentum building in the corporate sector.
“Supermarket giant Coles’ announcement that it has cut deals to source renewable power through wind and solar projects is a sign of the growing corporate demand for renewable energy. Major brands have a critical role to play to use their buying power to bring even more new wind and solar farms online, as Woolworths and Telstra have committed to do,” she said.
“This week the International Energy Agency has warned we must triple our spending on renewables to maintain a safer climate, and Australian businesses like Coles have a crucial role to play.”
“Now we’d like to see Coles tackling their value chain emissions and investing in electrifying their sizeable transport fleet.”
Coles’ commitment is the latest clean power move by a major Australian company in recent weeks, with a flurry of net-zero emissions reduction commitments from the business sector in the run-up to the COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow.
Companies that have strengthened their emissions reduction and 100% renewable energy commitments in recent weeks include major manufacturers such as Queensland-based zinc company Sun Metals.
Lindsay Soutar said that renewable momentum from businesses puts pressure on the Federal Government to commit to a stronger emissions reduction target.
“As the Federal Government dithers over a net-zero target, business leaders are rushing towards renewables. Australian companies and manufacturers know that cheaper, cleaner renewable energy is already powering the country, and are making smart investments to shore up their business for the future.”
“Australia’s corporate sector has clearly indicated that it wants strong, decisive emissions reduction, and the Federal Government must develop policies that support investment and growth of renewables.”
