Co-op looking into solar power at St Martin’s store
SOLAR panels could be placed on the roof at the St Martin’s Grande Marche Co-op as part of an upcoming refit, chief executive officer Mark Cox has said.
The supermarket is looking at doing the same at its Grand Marche stores in St Helier and St Peter in Jersey before the end of the year.
There are already panels at three stores in Jersey, as well as the St Martin’s En Route service station in Guernsey.
‘As a conscientious organisation dedicated to minimising the environmental impact of our operations, we consider not only the financial implications of our investments, but also the sustainable and ethical ramifications,’ said Mr Cox.
‘We’re committed to reducing our carbon footprint, and one effective approach we’re adopting is the increased use of solar panels across our store network.
‘We’re evaluating opportunities to install solar panels at our Grand Marche store in St Martin’s as part of the upcoming refurbishment works scheduled for later this year.’
He added that the business was working through a scheduled store upgrade, which gave it the chance to add solar panels where feasible.
Co-op owns the Leale’s Yard site behind the Bridge, which has plans for a combined residential and retail development.
Mr Cox said the development plans for the site encompass a substantial number of solar panel installations.
‘In addition to renewable energy technologies, we’ve also invested in energy consumption monitoring technology and a program for our store managers and senior leaders to enhance their understanding of effective consumption reduction strategies,’ he said.
‘Considering the anticipated challenges and cost pressures associated with energy in the future, prioritising sustainability is not only essential from a business standpoint, but also aligns with our commitment to environmental responsibility.’
The States' proposed new electricity strategy intends that up to 10% of the island’s future electricity needs should be met by solar power. At present, some 45,000 solar panels would be required to power 10% of the island’s current electricity demand.
