Supermarket giant Coles Group has advanced its goal of 100% renewable electricity, installing a powerful 3.5-megawatt rooftop solar system at its major distribution center in Western Sydney.
Coles Group’s $1 Billion Efficiency Investment
Pursuing its goal of 100% renewable electricity by 2025, Coles Group has unveiled a 3.5 MW rooftop solar system at its Kemps Creek automated distribution center (ADC) in Western Sydney. This significant installation is part of a broader $1 billion (USD 66 million) investment aimed at boosting the company’s operational efficiency.
Coles Group’s 3.5 MW rooftop solar system at its Kemps Creek ADC, advancing its goal of 100% renewable electricity by 2025.
Located 40 kilometers from Sydney, the 3.5 MW rooftop solar system powers a 66,000-square-meter facility that uses automated technology to process four million cartons per week for 229 stores across New South Wales (NSW) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). This business solar installation is one of the largest in the Coles network, matching a 3.5 MW system installed at the Goodman Redbank Motorway Estate in Queensland in 2023.
Coles Group CEO Leah Weckert called the launch of the company’s second solar-powered ADC a significant milestone in its plan to enhance its supply chain and boost operational efficiency.
Coles Partners with Origin Energy for Solar and Battery Investments
To further manage its electricity needs, Coles has partnered with Australian energy retailer Origin Energy on a three-year plan. The goal is to co-invest in solar panels, battery storage, and flexible load controls for stores nationwide. This collaboration will bring three more solar systems online in 2024 and 2025, including a 300 kW / 420 MWh system at the Chef Fresh facility in NSW and two large-scale arrays at chilled distribution centers in Western Australia and NSW.
By mid-2023, 88 Coles supermarkets already had solar panels installed, producing 12,720 MWh of renewable energy. A separate 3.5 MW system with 7,000 solar panels was also installed at the Oakdale dry goods distribution center in NSW—90 kilometers southwest of Sydney—supplying 32% of that facility’s electricity.
Coles Group also has long-term agreements for large-scale generation certificates with renewable developers Neoen and Engie from France, Acciona Energia from Spain, and Origin Energy. These agreements source power from solar and wind farms across NSW, Victoria, South Australia, and Queensland.
Origin Energy’s Commitment to Sustainability
Origin Energy is a leading Australian provider of electricity, LPG, solar, and internet services for homes and businesses. As an integrated generator and retailer of electricity and natural gas, the company also operates the Eraring Power Station in New South Wales—Australia’s largest coal-fired power plant, which is slated for closure in 2025.
Origin’s diverse generation assets include a growing portfolio of renewable energy and storage projects. The company recently acquired the Yarrabee Solar Farm development project in southwest NSW and the Carisbrook Solar Farm in central Victoria—a move that underscores its commitment to growing the share of renewable energy in its portfolio.
