DIA joins SUPER-HEERO, a European pilot to improve energy efficiency in supermarkets
September 13, 2021
DIA has selected two of its stores to have smart meters installed and an energy audit conducted.
Creara, Sustainable Innovations and Tándem Franquicias are the project’s three Spanish partners.
Las Rozas de Madrid, 13 September 2021. DIA has joined the SUPER-HEERO pilot where the main objective is to improve energy efficiency in small and medium-sized supermarkets. This initiative is funded by the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 programme, which will enable the project concept to be implemented on a practical level, its results assessed and then replicated in other locations and in different types of shops.
The chain has selected two stores in the region of Madrid where a smart meter has been installed to measure energy consumption. These meters will be provided free of charge and will be owned by the supermarket at the end of the project. In addition to this, an energy audit will be performed so that energy efficiency measures can be planned and technological upgrades carried out.
The SUPER-HEERO consortium will propose a number of innovative financial schemes, loyalty programmes and customer rewards to the pilot units, which they could use to finance the proposed energy efficiency measures. Lastly, supermarkets will be involved in a range of communication and dissemination activities, as well as a free advertising campaign that will enhance their positioning both in Spain and in Europe.
This project has three Spanish partners: Creara, who will carry out the energy audits, Sustainable Innovations, which is in charge of the project’s communication, advertising and dissemination activities, and Tándem Franquicias, who are leaders in relations with Spanish supermarkets.
The importance of energy efficiency in supermarkets
Supermarkets are one of the most energy-intensive retail sectors. Their energy costs range from 10% -15% of total operating costs. Considering that supermarket profit margins are not high, the impact of energy efficiency measures on the sector can be very significant. The aim of SUPER-HEERO is to help small and medium-sized supermarkets to access the necessary financing to implement energy efficiency measures through stakeholder involvement.
The project will reduce upfront costs and will encourage the involvement of additional sources of investment, bringing both economic and environmental savings not only to supermarkets, but also to customers, energy service companies and technology providers.
About SUPER-HEERO
Led by R2M Solution, SUPER-HEERO started in June 2020 and has several partners from Italy, Spain and the Netherlands: CREARA, the Municipality of Padua, RINA Consulting, SINLOC, Sustainable Innovations, Tandem, and Zero-E Engineering. The project has received funding of Euros 1.4 million from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 894404.
