Supermarket giant Carrefour announced Monday a partnership with photovoltaic specialist GreenYellow to install solar panels on 350 supermarket parking lots, hoping they can meet 20% of the group’s stores’ electricity needs.
Regulatory Push and Proactive Approach
The decision follows a mandate for large retailers to install photovoltaic shade structures on parking lots over 1,500 m² by 2028, with Carrefour choosing to take a proactive approach.
Green Energy Production Equivalent to a City of 200,000
The 350 solar panel-equipped shade structures to be installed by Carrefour will be financed by GreenYellow and will, according to a company statement, “achieve an electricity production of approximately 450 gigawatt-hours per year, roughly the consumption of a city of 200,000 inhabitants (…) within three years.”
Cost-Effective Energy and Surplus Resale
Carrefour hopes to produce enough energy to cover 20% of Carrefour stores’ needs “at very attractive rates.” Surplus production, not stored, “will be resold,” the group indicates.
Industry Concerns Over Timeline and Production Capacity
In April, three large retail organizations criticized the implementation timeline of the APER law, which mandates the installation of photovoltaic shade structures. They believed the 2028 deadline was too close for French factories to produce enough panels to cover “70 million square meters of parking” in time.
GreenYellow’s Origins and Recent Acquisition
GreenYellow was founded in 2007 by Carrefour’s competitor, Casino, which, amidst financial difficulties, sold its entire stake in May 2024 for 46 million euros.
Carrefour’s Ambitious Renewable Energy Goal
Carrefour aims for 100% renewable electricity consumption by 2030.