EDP and Staples are developing networks of Solar Districts and electric mobility throughout the country
Staples is the first EDP client in Portugal to choose, simultaneously, electric energy solutions, solar energy communities and sustainable mobility. The project allows Staples to locally produce half the energy it needs daily and share benefits from the remaining energy with residents.
EDP Comercial was chosen by Staples, a leader in the sale of stationery and office supplies, to provide an integrated solution for the decarbonization of the company's electricity consumption, combining energy supply, local production of solar energy for its own consumption and sharing with neighbors and electric mobility connected to the MOBI.E public grid.
The partnership between EDP and Staples includes the installation of energy communities in more than 20 stores across the country. The EDP Solar Districts will have a combined capacity of around 2.5 MWp and an estimated annual production of approximately 3.5 GWh. This clean energy will prevent the emission of about 1,800 tonnes of CO2 per year, which would be emitted to produce the same electricity from polluting sources.
The installation of these solar plants will allow Staples to be approximately 50% independent from the electricity grid and, with the creation of these energy communities, it is possible to share the benefits with about two thousand residents. Families or companies within a two-kilometre radius of participating Staples stores can join by registering quickly and free of charge on the EDP Comercial (edp.pt/bairro-solar) website.
In addition to promoting the use of renewable electricity in the communities in which it operates, this partnership allows Staples to achieve savings of more than 60% in monthly electricity costs and significantly reduce its environmental footprint. Neighbors who are part of this project will save up to 35% on part of the electricity they consume, in addition to contributing to the energy transition of their neighborhood.
These 20 Solar Districts developed in partnership with Staples, are joining the approximately 4,440 energy communities already contracted with customers, with the potential to add more than 150 MWp of solar capacity to Portugal and share benefits with up to 110,000 residents.
EDP will install 60 electric vehicle charging points in almost 90% of Staples stores from the North to South of the country. The charging points will be connected to the public MOBI.E network and can be used by any electric vehicle driver, regardless of their Electric Mobility Energy Supplier (CEME). With these chargers, EDP reinforces the number of points available in Portuguese cities, expanding the public charging network in strategically convenient locations scattered throughout the territory. This investment is part of a continuous commitment to electric mobility in Portugal and aims to make the charging of electric vehicles increasingly convenient and programmable.
With more than 3,400 charging points under contract on the public network in Portugal, EDP has options available in all districts and in more than half of the country's municipalities. Since it began investing in the development of electric mobility in Portugal, more than two million charges have been carried out at EDP points connected to the public grid, which allowed the travelling of more than 250 million kilometres using electricity alone and prevented more than 28,000 tonnes of CO2 that would have been emitted by combustion vehicles.
In addition to electric mobility solutions and the implementation of energy communities, EDP will also supply electricity to all Staples locations in Portugal for seven years. By choosing a long-term power supply contract, Staples is expected to reduce its electricity costs by around 30%, while ensuring stability and predictability of this cost
By choosing several critical solutions for the energy transition, a company accelerates the decarbonization of its business, consuming locally produced energy and still offering sustainable solutions to customers, such as electric mobility. For EDP, this project represents the commitment of being more than an energy supplier, affirming itself as a partner of Portuguese companies in this transition. Staples, in turn, reinforces its commitment to decarbonising its entire value chain, an important step in significantly reducing CO2 emissions, while involving the communities where it operates in the energy transition.
About EDP
EDP is a world leader in the energy sector, operating in Europe, North America, South America and Asia Pacific. The company operates in four main fields (Renewable Production Assets, Networks, Customer Solutions and Global Energy Management), with more than 13,000 employees worldwide.
We are pioneers in the field of renewable energy and one of the largest producers in the world, through a global portfolio of onshore and offshore wind and solar energy assets, as well as hydro, totalling 26.6 GW of installed capacity. We are continuously leveraging this portfolio to drive the increased deployment of renewables through future technologies, such as green hydrogen and hybridisation of renewable and storage assets, while expanding our grid infrastructure: a key enabler of the energy transition.
At EDP, we are proud to be one of the most sustainable utility companies in the world, with more than 95% of our energy produced from renewable sources, and to occupy first place in the world as the most sustainable utility company in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. We will stop using coal by 2025, be 100% green by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2040, investing more than 17 billion euros into the energy transition by 2026. This will increase our renewable capacity, strengthen our electricity networks, support our customers and empower communities in the transition to a more sustainable planet.
About Staples
As a leader in integrated solutions for small, medium and large businesses in Portugal, Staples knows everything about the workplace.
We're committed to creating the workplace that allows you to make a difference every day. With a wide range of solutions that can be customised to your needs, our dedicated experts will collaborate with you to ensure you have everything you need to get more out of your workplace and help you move your business forward.
Staples plays a key role with children, parents and teachers as a leader in the Back to School campaign. Every year we give our youngest customers everything they need to return to school, through a campaign full of joy and fun along with a strand of solidarity.
Learn more at: www.staples.pt