This supermarket in Essonne has obtained the “Responsible Trader” label: here’s why

At a time when the price of electricity is only increasing, as are bills, this Essonne store has found the right solution to relieve its wallet and the environment. Indeed, the Viry-Châtillon Intermarché inaugurated its 1,050 m² of solar panelsWednesday June 12, 2024. An innovation which allows the supermarket to achieve 50% energy savings per year and has enabled it to obtain the “Responsible Trader” label.

A self-sufficient store from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“When we bought this store, in 2019, with my wife, it consumed 950 megawatts per year. We therefore decided to modernize it by carrying out work. We started by replacing the old, cold furniture with new low-energy furniture with doors, old neon lights with LEDs. And we have installed presence sensors and speed variators on the cold room motors. All of this allowed us to reduce our energy consumption to 750 megawatts,” explains Stéphane Dugousset, the store director.

But that’s not all. Stéphane Dugousset and his wife wanted to go even further in energy savings by installing 1,050 m² of solar panels in the parking lot of their store. The amount of €430,000 excluding taxwork began in September 2023 and was completed in May 2024. The store received a 40% subsidy from the Île-de-France Region.

“We produce 240 megawatts using solar panels, which allows the store to be self-sufficient from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. We have once again reduced our energy consumption to 510 megawatts, and we aim to drop below 500 megawatts per year. We are, for example, in the process of testing a voltage regulator which will allow us to achieve 10% additional energy savings,” rejoices Stéphane Dugousset.

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