Dunelm forges ahead with onsite solar projects at stores and offices

Image: Courtesy of Dunelm. Pictured: The business's head office with solar on its roof.

During the current fiscal year, the company plans to deploy 2,642 solar panels across a range of locations.

The installation of photovoltaic (PV) panels has recently been completed at five stores, including 442 at the Bristol store, 410 at Derby, 356 at Romford and 398 at Swansea. Additionally, 262 panels have been successfully installed on the roof of Dunelm’s Head Office in Syston, Leicester.

Despite the expansion of Dunelm’s store portfolio, which now stands at 183 stores following three recent openings, the company has managed to keep its overall store electricity usage flat, aligning with its 2019 usage levels.

Moreover, approximately 99.7% of the energy used in the last financial year was sourced from renewables.

Looking ahead, Dunelm has this week confirmed plans to install PV panels at three more sites before the end of June 2024. Collectively, these installations are expected to generate approximately 337,302 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity.

Dunelm’s property director Steve Barton said: “We’re very proud to be stepping up the solar panel roll-out across our sites. It’s just one part of our commitment to reducing our environmental impact and in line with our ambition to reach net-zero by 2040.”

Last year, the homeware retailer unveiled its plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040, a commitment validated by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Further strides

In addition to the solar panel project, Dunelm has been certifying its purchased electricity using

Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGO) certificates, qualifying electricity sources for the majority of its sites back in 2019.

Further measures include the replacement of gas-fired heating and refrigerants with lower-carbon alternatives as well as engaging its colleagues to promote energy efficiency.

The move coincides with recent research findings indicating a 42% year-on-year surge in corporate funding for the solar sector, marking its highest level in the past decade.