Production renewable electricity
Colruyt Group invests heavily in renewable energy like wind and solar. Green electricity production far exceeds our total electricity consumption. This allows us to avoid the use of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions and to contribute to the Green Deal's climate neutrality by 2050.
Solar panels on own sites
Colruyt Group has many solar panels on stores and distribution centres under its own management. We continue to expand our capacity, for example with solar panels on every new Colruyt, Okay and Bio-Planet store. We adjust the number of panels to the power needs of the building, because it is more cost-effective to use locally produced energy on site.
A great deal of electricity is produced on behalf of Colruyt Group, partly with our own solar installations and largely via our almost 60% stake in the Virya Energy holding company.
Participations in wind energy
On sites with a high energy demand, such as our distribution and production centres, we also produce wind energy, with wind turbines under the management of Virya Energy, the energy holding company we established at the end of 2019 with Korys, the Colruyt family's investment company. With nearly 60% of shares, Colruyt Group is the main shareholder of Virya Energy. Virya Energy is active in the development, financing, construction and operation of renewable energy sources, with a focus on onshore wind energy. Our investments in Virya Energy make renewable energy accessible to various customers, including Colruyt Group itself.
Virya Energy is 100% owner of several energy producers:
- Eoly Energy produces wind energy on the Belgian mainland.
- Eurowatt is active chiefly in onshore wind energy in France, but also in Poland and Portugal.
- Sanchore is a wind farm in Karnataka (India).
