Loblaw inks deal to power Alberta facilities with renewable energy

Loblaw Companies Ltd. is entering into a deal with TC Energy to power its supermarkets, drugstores, offices and distribution centres in Alberta with renewable energy sources.

The program promises to eliminate the carbon emissions associated with its Alberta facilities while cutting its nationwide enterprise operating emissions by 17%.

Loblaw said carbon-free electricity will soon be used to power more than 280 locations, including Real Canadian Superstore, Shoppers Drug Mart, No Frills, Real Canadian Liquor Store and Independent and Wholesale Club stores.

The energy purchase will provide over 300,000 megawatt hours of carbon-free energy every year and save the equivalent of up to 180,000 metric tons of carbon emissions from being released into the atmosphere.

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"Loblaw has been actively reducing its carbon emissions for over a decade, consistently exceeding its own ambitious targets. Last year, when we raised those targets to become net zero by 2040, we knew we would need some breakthrough innovation to reach our goal," said Galen G. Weston, chairman and president of Loblaw, in a statement. "This project delivers that by turning our highest carbon emitting energy market into our lowest, in one single step. Today's announcement is a powerful example of private industry working together to bring scaled change to the energy transition."

TC Energy, in its own campaign to reduce emissions, has put together Alberta's first product to make carbon-free energy available 24/7. 

The product generates carbon-free energy via solar panels and wind turbines that is then fed into Alberta's electrical grid, which powers Loblaw’s facilities. A pumped-hydro energy storage station circulates water up- and down-hill to store and generate carbon-free power when wind and solar power are not available. 

Elements of the program are expected to come online in 2025.