Voltalia SA: Auchan Retail continues to reduce its carbon footprint and chooses Voltalia to source green electricity

Voltalia (Euronext Paris, ISIN code: FR0011995588), an international player in renewable energies, announces it has signed corporate PPAs for 61 megawatts with Auchan Retail to supply all its French sites with solar power for 20 years, a first in France in the retail sector.    

In France, Voltalia is the leader in Corporate PPAs[1] which are long-term contracts that directly connect the power consumer- a company, to the producer who builds a new renewable plant to supply his customer.

 

In France, Auchan Retail wants to source renewable power from new dedicated solar plants to have a real, direct and measurable impact on global warming. Located in the South of France, these plants will add up to Auchan Retail's already existing solar power production which is generated from photovoltaic installations built in partnership with Helexia, a Voltalia subsidiary[2], and located on Auchan Retail's buildings and car parks.

 

At the same time, Auchan has a proactive approach to reducing its electricity consumption which has decreased 18% since 2014 in France. Helexia, Voltalia's subsidiary, participated in achieving this goal through a multi-site energy management contract.

 

Auchan Retail now wants to accelerate. While further developing existing actions, the company will source solar power from new plants with a capacity of 61 megawatts, the equivalent of the power consumption of 43,000 people.

 

Voltalia will develop, build, operate, maintain and fund the future plants. The power generated will transit through the grid to Auchan Retail's French sites.

 

Commissioning of the new solar plants is expected between 2021 and 2022. The power purchase agreements between Auchan Retail and Voltalia's plants will last 20 years.

 

Sébastien Clerc, CEO of Voltalia, commented: "This partnership is a new illustration of our leadership in the production of competitive renewable power through Corporate PPAs on the French market. We are pleased to work with Auchan Retail, building on the cooperation developed with our subsidiary Helexia in the fields of self-generation and energy management."

 

Next on the agenda: Q2 2020 revenues on July 21, 2020

About Auchan Retail

 

Present in 14 countries, Auchan Retail encompasses all food trade formats (hypermarkets, supermarkets, convenience stores, click-and-collect and e-commerce) with 2,293 points of sale. Auchan Retail places its customers at the heart of its strategy by offering them a phygital shopping experience combining physical stores with the digital ecosystem, as well as exclusive, high-quality products at the best possible prices. Next-generation retailers, campaigners for good, healthy and local products, Auchan Retail's employees work responsibly with customers, farmers and suppliers so that everyone can improve their quality of life by eating better. www.auchanretail.com

 

About Voltalia (www.voltalia.com)

Voltalia Investor Relations: [email protected] +33 (0)1 81 70 37 00

Actifin Press Contact: Jennifer Jullia, [email protected] +33 (0)1 56 88 11 11

 

[1] Corporate Power Purchase Agreement

[2] 9.6 megawatts currently in operation and construction