Sainsbury’s spends £2m on green start-up investment Wednesday, 22nd February 2012

Putting its money where its mouth is, Sainsbury’s has invested £2 million in a start-up green energy company, cementing its claim as the leading retailer of AD energy through services.

The supermarket is one of a handful of investors backing Tamar Energy, with a collective £65 million fund.

The newly formed energy business plans to develop a UK network of more than 40 anaerobic digestion (AD) plants, which are expected to generate 100 megawatts of green electricity over the next five years.

It’s an ideal time for Sainsbury’s to invest, as it works towards implementing its 20 by 20 Sustainability plan.

Justin King, Sainsbury's chief executive, said: "We will be working closely with our suppliers to ensure they have access to the new plants to help them reduce the environmental impact of their operations, a key strand of our 20 by 20 Sustainability Plan.

"With the support of our suppliers, we are very confident that this new venture will be a success, helping build Tamar Energy into the UK's leading green energy company."

The retailer currently pursues a zero-food-waste-to-landfill policy, which means that all surplus food waste from stores goes either direct to charities, or to AD to generate green energy.

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