Loblaw Installs First Wind Turbine to Help Power Store
Loblaw Cos., Ltd. is installing a wind turbine at its Atlantic Superstore in Porters Lake, Nova Scotia. Once fully operational by the end of next week, the turbine, supplied by Scotian WindFields Inc., will provide about a quarter of the superstore's power.
"We are actively working to identify renewable energy opportunities to reduce the emissions associated with electricity consumption at our various locations," said Mark Schembri, VP, Store Maintenance, at the Canadian grocer. "This project is just another example of Loblaw's commitment to adopting better environmental practices and how we are taking responsibility for the energy consumption that is required to support our retail business."
The Porters Lake Wind Turbine Project is part of a Loblaw pilot program to help lower carbon emissions and undertake distributed energy projects. Working with Scotian WindFields, Inc., Loblaw tested the wind patterns at the Porters Lake Atlantic Superstore for a year to confirm the winds in the area would support a wind turbine. The device is expected to generate 250,000 kilowatt hours of energy annually. The store will remain connected to the utility power grid, with the wind turbine supplementing the site’s energy needs.
"In Nova Scotia, we have a great renewable energy source in our wind," noted Scotian WindFields CEO Barry Zwicker. "Projects like the Atlantic Superstore in Porters Lake really show the scale of wind technology. Whether projects are big or small, wind-generated energy can play a large role in reducing our dependency on non-renewable energy sources."
Loblaw’s other sustainable projects include the 2008 rollout of an environmental flagship Loblaw Superstore in Scarborough, Ontario, which includes such green features as alternative refrigeration design techniques that enable the entire retail area to be heated during the winter with reclaimed heat from the refrigeration system. The Brampton, Ontario-based company also recently joined forces with Organic Resource Management, Inc (ORMI) to convert food waste from certain Ontario Loblaw stores into renewable energy through a farm-based bio-gas facility.
"We are actively working to identify renewable energy opportunities to reduce the emissions associated with electricity consumption at our various locations," said Mark Schembri, VP, Store Maintenance, at the Canadian grocer. "This project is just another example of Loblaw's commitment to adopting better environmental practices and how we are taking responsibility for the energy consumption that is required to support our retail business."
The Porters Lake Wind Turbine Project is part of a Loblaw pilot program to help lower carbon emissions and undertake distributed energy projects. Working with Scotian WindFields, Inc., Loblaw tested the wind patterns at the Porters Lake Atlantic Superstore for a year to confirm the winds in the area would support a wind turbine. The device is expected to generate 250,000 kilowatt hours of energy annually. The store will remain connected to the utility power grid, with the wind turbine supplementing the site’s energy needs.
"In Nova Scotia, we have a great renewable energy source in our wind," noted Scotian WindFields CEO Barry Zwicker. "Projects like the Atlantic Superstore in Porters Lake really show the scale of wind technology. Whether projects are big or small, wind-generated energy can play a large role in reducing our dependency on non-renewable energy sources."
Loblaw’s other sustainable projects include the 2008 rollout of an environmental flagship Loblaw Superstore in Scarborough, Ontario, which includes such green features as alternative refrigeration design techniques that enable the entire retail area to be heated during the winter with reclaimed heat from the refrigeration system. The Brampton, Ontario-based company also recently joined forces with Organic Resource Management, Inc (ORMI) to convert food waste from certain Ontario Loblaw stores into renewable energy through a farm-based bio-gas facility.