GREEN BOOST

Mercadona spending millions on rooftop solar

THE Mercadona supermarket chain is to spend €60 million on installing solar roof panels at its stores in Spain this year.

Renewable energy currently powers up 114 of the firm’s shops along with nine logistics blocks and an online warehouse site, plus newly opened offices in Albalat dels Sorells in Valencia province.

The company aims to have 350 stores solar-equipped by the end of 2023 with a target to complete the programme in all of its 850 outlets and logistics centres within three years.

Solar energy allows each store to save 20% of its annual power consumption and cuts 30 tons of CO2 emissions per annum.

Overall power usage saved at the end of this year would be the annual equivalent of conventionally powering-up 124 supermarkets - with that equivalent rising to 300 shops by 2027.

Mercadona invested €14 million last year in panel instal-