Tesco Zero Carbon Store

Supermarket group Tesco, which pumps out some four million tonnes of carbon a year, opened its first zero carbon store in December 2009 as part of its bid to be a carbon ­ neutral company by 2050.

What is a zero-carbon store?

A zero-carbon store will put back into the National Grid as much energy as it uses (or even more!) over the course of a year. It is designed to use as little energy as possible, but to cater for what it does need, we convert renewable fuel into energy on-site – and any surplus then goes back to the National Grid.

Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy said: "It shows that you can dramatically alter how much carbon you use and life can go on". The new store, he said, "cost 30% more to build, but it uses 50% less energy, and with oil at $70 a barrel it is a business case in itself".

Our new store in Ramsey, Cambridgeshire is our first zero-carbon store. It generates its own renewable energy on-site using renewable fuel, producing more than it needs and selling the excess back to the grid. The store also incorporates a number of environmentally friendly design features and technologies, including:

  • Sustainably sourced timber frame

  • Roof lights and sun pipes that allow natural daylight into the sales floor and staff areas

  • Energy-efficient heating and air conditioning systems

  • Rainwater collection to flush the toilets and run the carwash

  • Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant to generate electricity using renewable fuel

  • No harmful refrigerants in the refrigerators, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems

  • The first LED-lit car park in the UK

  • Solar-powered streetlights

  • Energy-efficient equipment, such as low-energy bakery ovens

  • Greener Tesco stores for the future


For each new store we build, we will include as many of the environmental features from Ramsey store as possible, within the limitations of its location. Our aim is that by 2020, the average carbon footprint of our new stores will be 50 per cent smaller than in 2006.

Supporting the local communityAs well as striving to be more environmentally friendly, we have also sought to support the local community and industries through our new Ramsey store.

Local manufacturers and suppliers of materials were used in its construction, from supplying the timber cladding to the flooring, aggregate and windows. Many of the construction and store staff are from the surrounding area. In fact, 80 per cent of store staff are from within three miles of the site! We have also built a community centre as part of the development.