Sainsbury's has announced that it is working with key partners E.ON and Geothermal International to roll out the first phase of an innovative energy solution to up to 100 stores, tapping renewable energy from deep underground to provide energy efficient heating, hot water and cooling.

Both new-build and existing stores have been identified as part of separate projects with E.ON and Geothermal International. These will see both companies installing and operating pioneering geo-thermal heat pump technology and follows Sainsbury's successful world-first use of geo-thermal technology at its Crayford store, enabling it to supply 30 per cent of its energy from on-site renewable sources.

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The schemes aim to deliver up to 100MW of renewable energy sources in supermarkets by the end of 2016. They are also part of Sainsbury's 20 by 20 Sustainability Plan renewables commitment which includes reducing its absolute operational carbon emissions by 30 per cent and delivering a fully renewable heat strategy for its supermarkets by 2030.

Neil Sachdev, Sainsbury's Property Director, said: "We are continuing to lead the way in environmental firsts. We were the world's first to use geo-thermal technology in a supermarket to tap natural, renewable energy trapped 600 feet under the ground. We've also reduced our absolute electricity usage in supermarkets by over nine per cent in the past four years despite an increase in space.

"The roll out of this technology with our partners is an important milestone in our renewables commitment. It supports job creation in the renewable energy sector and our goal to reduce our absolute operational carbon emissions by 2020, as well as delivering energy cost savings for our business."

(CD/GK)