Lidl Ireland has today opened the country's first Net Zero Energy supermarket in Maynooth in Co Kildare, creating 32 permanent jobs.
Lidl said the new supermarket represents a new chapter for the Irish retail sector, adding that it demonstrates how large-scale businesses can deliver on national climate commitments while enhancing local communities.
Marking an investment of over €10m in the local area, construction of the new store started in February after the temporary closure of the Lidl Maynooth store to facilitate transformational works.
Construction of the new store prioritised renewable features and the use of sustainable materials including stone salvaged from the original Maynooth store, concrete made from 50% recycled materials, sustainable glulam timber roof beams and lower embodied carbon roof and wall panels.
Generating all of its operational energy from on-site renewable sources, the store features a 575 kWp solar panel system installed across the roof and car park - the equivalent of 13 tennis courts - to power the building and offsetting the embodied carbon from its construction through renewable energy generation.
Internally, the store incorporates new-generation energy-efficient refrigeration systems that recycles waste heat to warm the store through mechanical heat recovery.
The store is expected to save enough energy to power over 40 typical Irish households each year and the equivalent carbon savings of avoiding 1,500 flights from Ireland to Spain annually, setting a new standard for sustainable retail in Ireland.
The Maynooth store also has a pollinator-friendly community garden with bird boxes, native wildflower planting, and insect log piles.
Robert Ryan, CEO of Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland, said the opening of the new store in Maynooth marks a significant milestone in the company's sustainability journey.
"It demonstrates how a national retailer can successfully align commercial growth with environmental responsibility. As Ireland's largest commercial owner of solar panels, we are proud to be leading the decarbonising of the retail sector and setting a new benchmark for energy-efficient store design," Mr Ryan said.
"More than just a supermarket, our Maynooth store will act as a test bed for sustainable innovations, enabling us to trial, refine and scale technologies that deliver meaningful energy and carbon savings across our entire network," he added.
Welcoming the opening of the new store, Minister of Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O'Brien, said the project in Maynooth is a powerful example of how innovation in the private sector can help meet the country's national climate goals.
"Lidl's €10m investment in Ireland's first Net Zero Energy supermarket shows real leadership and proves that sustainability and economic growth can go hand in hand," the Minister said.
"It is encouraging to see a company of Lidl's scale embed low-carbon design and community benefit into every stage of its operations, setting a strong example for others to follow," he added.
Lidl Ireland employs more than 6,000 people across its 188 stores, Head Office and three regional distribution centres and was recently named Ireland’s Most Sustainable Retailer in the 2024 RepTrak Sustainability Index.
