Co-op is boosting its renewable energy usage with a new 15-year deal to power the equivalent of 55 food stores as it “accelerates its path towards decarbonisation”.

The agreement will see the convenience retailer use 100% of the electricity produced from the nine-megawatt solar farm in Coldham, Cambridgeshire, which is owned by ScottishPower Renewables, The Grocer reported.

The electricity output produced from the 19,000 solar panels will be shared across Co-op’s distribution centres and funeral homes.

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Co-op chief executive Shirine Khoury-Haq said: “The launch of Coldham solar farm, as a result of our PPA with ScottishPower Renewables, shows Co-op’s commitment to achieving net zero.

“This agreement means more renewable energy will be generated, and in doing so increase energy security, boost economic development and help us achieve net zero in our own operations by 2035.”

Khoury-Haq acknowledged that while the retailer believes “the government should make decarbonising the grid a top priority,” she added that “businesses still have their part to play”.

“This solar farm is a further step in Co-op’s approach to renewable energy procurement through a mixture of PPAs and embedded generation.”

It follows a similar move by the grocer in November, having signed a 15-year deal for the entire output of a 34-megawatt solar farm, which will provide enough electricity to power more than 170 of its food stores or 500 Funeralcare homes.