Majid Al Futtaim has partnered with UAE-based Yellow Door Energy, one of the leading regional commercial solar developers, to bring solar power to Carrefour stores in Jordan.
The 17-megawatt build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) wheeling agreement will provide Carrefour stores located in Amman, Zarqa, Madaba and Al-Salt with 29 gigawatt-hours of clean energy in the first year of operation, meeting 100% of the retailer’s electricity needs in those areas.
“Sustainability plays an important role in our business as illustrated by our Net Positive strategy, which aims to over compensate our water consumption and carbon emissions resulting in a positive corporate footprint by 2040. The BOOT solar agreement will prove not only integral to helping us achieve our goals but also halving our energy costs, allowing us to pass the savings on to our loyal customers across Jordan,” said Alain Enjalbert, country manager for Carrefour Jordan at Majid Al Futaim Retail.
BOOT is defined as a form of project financing, wherein a private entity receives a concession from the private or public sector to finance, design, construct, own and operate a facility stated in the contract. As the BOOT solar provider, Yellow Door Energy will invest in, design, construct, commission, operate and maintain the solar park. Located east of Amman, the solar park will span an area of 3.9 million sqft and will comprise of 300,000 solar panels. The park is expected to be completed and generating clean energy for Carrefour Jordan by the spring of 2020.
“We are proud to support Carrefour and Majid Al Futtaim in their sustainability endeavours while helping them reduce energy costs and improve competitiveness. Our solar park epitomises Carrefour’s sustainability leadership and we hope it will inspire other retailers and multi-nationals to transition to solar power,” added Rory McCarthy, chief commercial officer, Yellow Door Energy.