Ahold Delhaize headquarters in Zaandam, Netherlands

Living up to its reputation as one of the greenest grocers on the planet, Ahold Delhaize has signed a virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with the Spanish renewable energy company BRUC to support the financing and construction of five solar power plants in Seville, Spain. This corresponds to about 30% of Ahold Delhaize’s total electricity usage in its European operations. The project represents a key step within Ahold Delhaize’s Renewable Energy Program, and contributes to the retail conglomerate’s wider 2040 strategy to achieve net-zero scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions across its own operations.

Construction on the plants is expected to begin before the end of the year, with energy generation to start in 2026. This project will add 515 gigawatt-hours per year of new solar energy capacity to the grid, equivalent to the annual electricity usage of 132,000 households. Ahold Delhaize will contract about 90% of the cluster’s installed capacity and receive guarantees of origin (renewable energy certificates) for a period of 15 years.

“We are thrilled about the signing of this VPPA and the development of the solar plants in Seville, Spain,” noted Frank Sluis, CFO of Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia. “It marks a significant step in our Renewable Energy Program, aimed at enhancing energy efficiency, generating our own renewable energy and sourcing green energy. It underscores our ambition to achieve our 2040 scope 1 and 2 net-zero commitment. All of our great local brands in Europe are on a clear path to delivering on our climate agenda.”

Added Paulette van Ommen, director Health and Sustainability at Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia: “With this commitment, we will add new renewable electricity to the European grid. This solar project is a shining example of how we bring our Growing Together purpose and strategy to life and shows how we can leverage our scale to launch an impactful initiative across European brands.”