Kesko has set a new energy efficiency target and aims to improve its energy efficiency by 16% by 2035. This corresponds to an energy saving of 140 GWh over the years 2021-2035. From 2021 to 2025, Kesko has upgraded the building services and refrigeration systems in its stores across Finland, achieving energy savings of approximately 89 GWh.
Energy renovations carried out at stores play a key role in achieving the target. In line with Kesko’s energy concept, renovated stores’ building services will be modernised, and new refrigeration systems using natural carbon dioxide, waste heat recycling systems and LED lighting will all be installed at the stores.
Extensive energy renovations have been completed in K-Citymarket Malmi in Helsinki, K-Citymarket Päiväranta in Kuopio, K-Supermarket Huutoniemi in Vaasa and K-Citymarket Kaakkuri in Oulu.
“Our good experiences and confidence in the technology’s potential have convinced us that we can continue improving our energy efficiency over the next decade. The current energy efficiency target of 16%, or 140 GWh, also supports our ambitious emission-reduction targets,” says Antti Kokkonen, Kesko’s Director of Energy.
Previous targets achieved ahead of schedule – new efficiency gains now sought through innovative solutions
Kesko also participated in the previous joint Energy Efficiency Agreement of the retail sector over the years 2017–2025, and it achieved its 7.5% efficiency target four years ahead of schedule.
“We achieved the target faster than expected thanks to new technological innovations and their rapid deployment. Our waste heat recycling system is one of the most effective ways to reduce our heating energy consumption and the related emissions. The system has already been installed in more than 80 K-food stores,” Kokkonen says.
Kesko is also aiming to reduce consumption of district heat with entirely new solutions. One pioneering example is the collaboration between K-Supermarket Mankkaa and the atNorth data centre, launched earlier this year in Espoo, where waste heat from the data centre covers almost all the store’s heating energy.
“We have hundreds of properties in Finland that use district heating, so we are open to similar new ideas elsewhere,” Kokkonen adds.
K Group also uses AI-based analytics on its stores’ energy use and plans to apply machine learning more broadly in the future.
“We use analytics services to identify and optimise the energy consumption of our stores’ cooling, heating and ventilation systems. We are also investing in automatic alarms that will help us to respond more quickly to changes in energy use,” Kokkonen says.
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