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The first Waitrose “off grid” retail store in Norfolk, UK will combine propane based refrigeration technology with several other sustainability features that will enable it to reach a near-zero carbon standard.

The plans to open the retailer’s first "off grid" retail store were revealed at the business sustainability conference Base, at London’s ExCeL conference centre in mid March by Charlie Mayfield, Chairman of the John Lewis Partnership that owns Waitrose supermarkets.

As confirmed to information service ‘GreenWise’, the store - still work in progress - will be between 15,000 and 20,000 square feet in size and will be powered by a mix of energy technologies, including combined heat and power. “It will be a waste free shop,” Mayfield told GreenWise, adding that the building will be constructed to zero carbon standard or “the lowest we can get it.”

Off grid store will use propane refrigeration to cut carbon and energy costs

Subsequently confirmed by Waitrose to hydrocarbons21.com, the off grid store, in Sheringham, Norfolk, will use propane based refrigeration technology that the retailer has pledged to roll out to all of its stores by 2020. The technology has already been installed in seven Waitrose stores and will be in all of the retailer’s new build and refitted stores going forward.

According to Waitrose, the new propane based fridges will:

• Cut its carbon footprint by 15%
• Cut energy costs by at least 10%
• Cut servicing and maintenance costs by at least 50%
• Be quicker to install than traditional options - resulting in much less disruption to stores and customers and reduced installation costs

The Sheringham store will probably open before the end of the year.