As part of a multi-year plan, every Aldi store is having between two and five Vaillant aroTHERM plus 12kW heat pump units installed, with the number of units required based on each store’s size.
According to a company statement, Vaillant has been supporting Aldi with its sustainability ambitions since 2016.
Steve Cipriano, Vaillant’s commercial director, said: “The aroTHERM plus air source heat pump is the latest technology innovation that can help meet the low carbon challenge facing commercial businesses. To be able to extend the renewable technology across Aldi’s entire store network over the next five years is a great way to demonstrate how heat pumps have a significant impact on the retail sector and its journey to net zero.”
The statement added that the “strategic decision” to roll out the aroTHERM plus solution is as a result of the technology’s “positive impact” following its installation at Aldi’s innovating eco-concept store, which opened in Leamington Spa two years ago.
Richard Conway, national real estate director for Aldi UK, stated: “Aldi UK & Ireland have ambitious carbon reduction targets, validated by the Science Based Targets initiative. To help us achieve them, we have solar panels on over 400 of our UK stores and use 100% green electricity from renewable sources. But to help move our sustainability understanding on, we knew that the ‘eco-concept’ store model would be a significant step towards exploring how to best use sustainable technologies within a real-life commercial setting.
“Solution learnings in areas such as renewable heating and cooling, as well as using solar panels to power around 10% of a store’s consumption each year can then be transferred out as a standard design for our store developments in the future. And the work we have undertaken with Vaillant at the first eco-concept store has already opened exciting possibilities.”
The aroTHERM plus solution has delivered sustainability benefits for both the heating and cooling requirements in store, it noted, which is “essential” in supermarkets where commercial chilling equipment contributes “greatly” to overall carbon emissions.
Richard added: “To help reach its objective of reducing energy consumption, in recent years, Aldi has invested in switching to chiller doors in both new and refurbished stores.
“As a low carbon option, the decision to specify Vaillant’s aroTHERM plus solution was reinforced because of the presence of a natural refrigerant.”
The aroTHERM heat pump was developed by Vaillant in 2020 as a new generation air source heat pump that uses the hydroflurocarbon (HFC)-free refrigerant, R290 and has a global warming potential of three.
Around 200 Aldi stores have upgraded to a Vaillant air source heat pump, it cited, with heat pumps being standard for any new store. The rollout started in England, and is now expanding into Scotland, Wales and Republic of Ireland stores with a target to have the complete stores network upgraded by 2030.
The new phase of the Aldi and Vaillant relationship includes a 10-year service and support agreement with a standardised call-out arrangement in place.