Aldi Commits £7.7 Million to Solar Expansion Across 90 UK Stores by 2026

Aldi UK is making a bold move in its sustainability journey, announcing plans to install solar panels on 90 additional supermarkets by the close of 2026. Backed by a £7.7 million investment, this initiative marks a significant step toward the retailer’s goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2035.

The rollout will begin with 41 stores set to receive solar systems by the end of 2025. Another 49 will follow throughout the following year. Each site will be equipped with a system capable of producing up to 144 kilowatts of power, and Aldi estimates that each installation will generate roughly 100,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.

Currently, Aldi already purchases 100 per cent renewable electricity, verified through Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin certificates. However, the company views on-site generation as a means to take firmer control of its energy sources, while gaining greater transparency around performance data. Looking ahead, Aldi has also confirmed that all newly built stores will feature solar technology from the outset.

Aldi UK’s managing director of national real estate, Jonathan Neale, said: “By expanding the use of solar panels across our UK stores, we’re making practical, long-term changes to how we power our operations, which will help us generate more of our energy on site from renewable sources.

“By investing in our estate now, we’re strengthening the resilience of our operations and helping ensure we can keep delivering great value for customers across Britain in a more sustainable way.”

This announcement comes shortly after competitor Iceland revealed a solar partnership with Shawton Energy aimed at speeding up its rooftop rollout. The message is clear: supermarket chains are feeling the heat when it comes to sustainability, and they’re racing to meet it head-on.

Aldi’s net-zero strategy targets emissions across its operations and power consumption, specifically Scope 1 and Scope 2. The retailer aims to slash these emissions by 90 per cent compared to 2019 levels, and achieve this by 2035.

Having switched to verified renewable electricity, most of the remaining emissions now stem from heating, refrigeration, cooling, and transportation. To tackle this, Aldi is relying on the internationally recognised ISO 50001 standard to guide its energy management practices.

Some of the changes are already in play. The company has reduced chiller energy use by around 20 per cent simply by installing doors. The company has begun replacing its company cars with electric vehicles. It is also running pilot programmes for low-emission fuels, such as hydrotreated vegetable oil and compressed natural gas, across its logistics fleet. The road to net-zero may be long, but for Aldi UK, it's becoming clearer, and increasingly solar-powered.