Bunnings and Officeworks working towards 100 per cent renewable electricity

As part of their commitment to use 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2025, iconic Australian retailers Bunnings and Officeworks, along with other Wesfarmers retail brands, have signed an agreement with CleanCo to provide renewable electricity across their Queensland sites.

Cleanco is a Queensland Government-owned renewables, low-emissions and hydro company.

Renewable electricity will be provided primarily from two sites, Western Downs Green Power Hub and MacIntyre Wind Farm.

Western Downs Green Power Hub is one of Australia’s largest solar farms, and MacIntyre Wind Farm will be one of the largest wind farms in the southern hemisphere once completed.

The new partnership is a step towards the retailers sourcing 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2025, and the goal of net zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030. Both targets were announced in September 2020.

Bunnings and Officeworks were pleased to join forces and work with CleanCo to structure a unique arrangement that allowed them to contract separately while leveraging their combined energy loads, demand profiles and number of sites.

“Partnering with CleanCo is an exciting step in our sustainability journey, as we continue to make progress towards our commitment to source 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2025,” said Bunnings Group Managing Director Michael Schneider.

“This builds on the work we have already done to increase our renewable power use by installing solar PV systems at 88 sites across Australia, generating the equivalent capacity to power over 4,600 households.

“While we’ve made positive headway, we recognise we have a lot more to do in this space, and we look forward to pursuing more initiatives to reduce our footprint.”

Officeworks Managing Director Sarah Hunter believes that the decarbonisation of the electricity sector is a crucial step in the pathway to a net-zero future, and one in which we all have a role to play.

“By choosing where we purchase our electricity, and how it is generated, we have the opportunity to contribute to that transition,” said Ms Hunter.

“We are excited to work with our industry peers, and CleanCo, as we work towards our goal of using 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2025, and shaping a cleaner energy sector in the process.”

The Wesfarmers retail businesses will continue working towards their 2025 commitments through using both onsite generation and renewable electricity procurement.