The Shoprite Group solidified its position as a leader in sustainable business practices by commencing the use of renewable electricity wheeling at its headquarters in Brackenfell, Cape Town. This move marks the group as one of the pioneering companies to integrate renewable energy into the city’s power grid, leveraging a method known as “electricity wheeling.”
Electricity wheeling is the process by which electricity is traded between private entities, utilizing an existing grid to transport power from its generation point directly to the end user. This initiative not only facilitates access to affordable renewable energy but also alleviates the growing pressure on South Africa’s national energy supply.
The transition to wheeling at Shoprite began with the excess electricity generated by Checkers Hyper Brackenfell at Fairbridge Mall. This surplus power is acquired by Enpower Trading, a Nersa-licensed electricity trader, who subsequently sells it back to the Shoprite Group for usage at its neighboring corporate offices.
Sanjeev Raghubir, the Chief Sustainability Officer at the Shoprite Group, highlighted the significant strides the company has made toward its environmental targets. “In 2023, our consumption of renewable energy nearly doubled to 103,234 MWh from 54,138 MWh the previous year,” Raghubir noted. He emphasized the company’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, with these advancements in renewable energy utilization being a crucial component of their strategy.
Beverley van Reenen, a member of the city’s mayoral committee for energy, commented on the broader implications of electricity wheeling for Cape Town. She outlined a future where dependency on the national grid diminishes as the energy market expands with the participation of both large-scale independent power producers and small-scale generators. These contributors are expected to play a pivotal role in selling their excess power to the city and other customers through mechanisms like embedded generation and wheeling.
The Shoprite Group’s venture into electricity wheeling commenced back in 2016 with Checkers Newton Park in Gqberha. By 2022, the group achieved another milestone when Checkers Sitari and Sitari Village Mall near Somerset West became the first premium supermarket and shopping center in South Africa to operate entirely on renewable energy, sourced from wind and solar power.
This initiative by the Shoprite Group not only underscores its leadership in renewable energy adoption but also sets a precedent for other businesses in South Africa to follow, contributing to a sustainable and resilient energy future for the country.
