When Australia was in the grips of lockdown, it was clear the world was experiencing a moment of unavoidable, widespread change. Yet amid all the confusion and frustration, there was an underlying feeling of opportunity. When the old way of doing things falters, what you’re left with is the chance to rebuild and refocus: recognise when the old ways of doing things are holding us back, and bring in the new. Many felt this could have been a crowning moment for renewable energy. It could have bee
ve been an opportunity to rebuild Australia’s energy sector in a way that takes advantage of our unfiltered access to the sun, wind and sea.
On a federal level, no-one has seized on this opportunity. (In fact, they’ve avoided it.) However, states and businesses are taking this once-in-a-lifetime chance to rethink how they can power their operations for the good of the planet. And retail is leading the way.
In the past few months, we’ve seen Woolworths, Officeworks and Bunnings pledge to do their part in the fight against climate change. They are all on track to power 100 per cent of their respective operations with renewable energy by 2025, by installing and applying solar power, as well as other energy efficiency measures.
And, according to Greenpeace’s Lindsay Soutar, campaign director for ReEnergise, this could be the beginning of a movement.
“I think these companies are saying that there’s a very strong business case for making this decision,” Soutar told Inside Retail.
“[They’re] leading by example. I think the leading companies are looking down the supply chain and looking at what they can do to encourage suppliers to make similar moves.
“There’s still a way to go, but there is considerable momentum.”
In the next few years, Soutar said, we’re likely to see, among other things, businesses begin to shift their fleet of delivery vehicles to electric and to switch gas heating and cooling to more sustainable options.
There are concerns some companies may be setting ambitious targets that they have little intention of actually hitting. But pressure from consumer and shareholder groups, who are beginning to see the business case for sustainable operations, will be vital in holding them accountable. However, Soutar said there is considerable action already taking place.
“Both Aldi and Coles have signed major deals to renewable and solar farms across New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, and they’re all engaged in the rollout of rooftop solar across their distribution centres,” Soutar said.
“There’s a lot happening. It’s not just the commitment; they’re acting.”
One thing Soutar would like to see more of, however, is for these businesses to sign up to the global RE100 initiative, which aims to bring together the world’s most influential companies that are committed to 100 per cent renewable energy. Woolies joined in early November, and VF Corp, Starbucks, Ralph Lauren, Nike, L’Occitane, Lego, Ingka Group, H&M and eBay, among others, are also taking part.
RE100 has 268 members from around the world that together generate 284 terawatt-hours per year. That’s enough to power a medium-sized country and more than enough to power Australia for a year.
“In signing up, businesses will report annually on meeting their goals, as well as submitting plans and strategies,” Soutar said.
“[And] we will be actually calling on all of these companies to expect more of the federal government and to be communicating to the government that they’re not doing enough at this stage.
“We’d like to see the federal government embrace the massive opportunity that exists in not only running the whole economy here on wind and solar but also becoming a renewable energy exporter.”