Personal power plant
In the battle for the consumer, to stand still is to go backwards. Retailers are constantly looking for innovations to distinguish themselves from the competition. In this search, sustainability is an asset that should not be underestimated—and one that is incredibly important to consider.
A study published during Paris Retail Week showed that 70% of customers include sustainability as an important factor in their purchasing decisions. Closer to home, the research report Retail in 2030 also shows that 50% of consumers consider corporate social responsibility an important element in the brand experience.
Our society is becoming increasingly transparent, and consumers are better informed about what it is they are buying. Consumers have a better understanding of our consumer society and are demanding—louder by the day—that companies consciously and openly opt for corporate social responsibility.
ALDI has heard the consumer's call loud and clear and wants to reduce the CO2 emissions of its shops by 40% by 2021. The retail chain enlisted the services of Encon to guide them in this process, where the first phase of the project entailed exploring how to generate their own sustainable energy, locally. ALDI wanted to explore that option to fully offset the consumption of its own shops and evolve towards energy neutrality of its premises.
'ALDI wants to be the type of company that our staff enjoy working at, but also one that cares about the environment and the future generation.'
Frank Vissers – Managing Director Aldi Turnhout
The answer to ALDI's question was right over our heads. ALDI's shops have a combined total of XX m2 of completely untapped roof space. These roofs are perfect for the installation of solar panels, which together can produce enough energy to meet the needs of each shop.
To date, ALDI has already equipped more than 40 of its shops with a solar panel system. Encon takes care of each project from A to Z. This means that we first study which solar installation is best suited per shop and generates a maximum return, taking into account the specific characteristics of the roof and the power consumption of the shop. We then draw up a detailed roadmap and look for the contractor best suited to the specific requirements of the project. Finally, we follow up on the installation in detail so that guaranteed yields are effectively achieved.
Encon guarantees an ROI of 20 years down the line during this project. In other words, ALDI is sure of a minimum yield of their own produced renewable energy, which guarantees the payback period of the investment, while Encon closely monitors that the promised guarantees are fulfilled.
Encon's unique approach of providing tailor-made solutions for each shop, along with the high standards and meticulous follow-up of the installer, ensures that the cumulative net yield is virtually 3 times that of a standard solar panel installation and that ALDI saves 50% in installation costs and 65% in maintenance costs. Although ALDI's approach is primarily based on the investment in sustainable innovation, the payback time of this investment—regardless of the growth potential in terms of image—is short.
The installation of ALDI's own sustainable power plant is an important step for the future. It will be impossible to imagine the retail landscape without sustainability, with increasing consumer demand for brands that take their responsibility seriously.
That is why there will be no resting on our laurels after this first success story. Together, we will continue to actively look for ways to make their shop premises more sustainable.
