Solar panels to go on sale at Sainsbury’s
SAINSBURY’S is to sell solar panels to help make energy-efficient technology more mainstream.
The supermarket is trialling green showrooms in three of its stores in partnership with energy provider EDF to sell green technology. They will offer solar panels and pumps that use energy from the air to heat water.
If successful, Sainsbury’s will roll out the centres in more of its stores.
However, the technology will not be sold at typical supermarket prices with solar panels and air-source heat pumps starting from £5,699. The supermarket will sell less complex products such as cavity-wall insulation at lower prices. It already sells EDF electricity using the Sainsbury’s brand.
Sainsbury’s commercial manager Adam Zeiderman said: “People want to invest in renewable energy products but they don’t know where to start.”
UK supermarkets are diversifying into non-grocery products to increase profit. Last week Tesco launched a money-transfer service in its stores to capitalise on the UK’s growing foreign-worker base. The launch is a direct challenge to market leader Western Union.