Aldi has installed a set of solar panels on the roof of its West Oxford store in a partnership with West Oxford Community Renewables Ltd (WOCR) and solar technology supplier Joju.

The 50kW set of solar panels will not only reduce the store’s electricity cost and carbon emissions but also benefit the local community through reinvestment in additional green initiatives.

Annually, the panels are predicted to provide the energy required to run 15 UK homes and an income of around £15,000. However, unlike typical commercial solar energy initiatives, these profits will not go to Aldi but to the local group Low Carbon West Oxford (LCWO), who plan to invest the money in community environmental projects.

In return Aldi will receive cheaper and cleaner electricity and can demonstrate to customers that it is committed to reducing the company’s carbon-footprint. Joe Michaels, Managing Director of Joju, said: “WOCR and Aldi have turned an empty roof into a potentially significant revenue stream for funding for the local green initiatives and significantly reducing their carbon footprint.”