Australian Retailer Coles Rolled Out 50 Natural Refrigerant Stores in 2024
Metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Title | Australian Retailer Coles Rolled Out 50 Natural Refrigerant Stores in 2024 |
| Author | Jae O. Haroldsen |
| Site | NaturalRefrigerants.com |
| Published | 2025-09-12 |
| Words | ~550 |
| Language | en |
| URL | https://naturalrefrigerants.com/news/australian-retailer-coles-rolled-out-50-natural-refrigerant-stores-in-2024/ |
한국어 요약 (Korean Summary)
Coles(호주 대형 슈퍼마켓 체인)의 FY2025 지속가능성 보고서 기반 기사. 자연냉매(암모니아 R717, CO2 R744) 매장이 슈퍼마켓 78→104개, 주류매장 56→80개로 1년간 50개 매장 증가(신축+개보수 포함). 2050년까지 고GWP→저GWP(자연냉매) 완전 전환 목표. 신축 매장의 90% 이상이 이미 자연냉매 채택. Scope 1+2 온실가스 배출을 2020년 대비 81.3% 감축 달성(목표 75% 초과 달성), 재생에너지 100% 목표도 대규모 태양광·풍력 계약으로 달성. FY2025 기준 전체 슈퍼마켓의 약 12%가 자연냉매 사용 중이며, 노후 설비 교체 시점에 맞춰 단계적으로 전환 중.
Original Content
Australian Retailer Coles Rolled Out 50 Natural Refrigerant Stores in 2024
The chain increased its natural refrigerant supermarkets from 78 to 104 and liquor stores from 56 to 80, figures which include new stores and retrofits.
As part of its “aim to transition from high GWP to lower GWP (or natural) refrigerants by 2050,” Australian retailer Coles opened 50 natural refrigerant stores in the past year, which includes new construction and retrofits, according to the group’s 2025 sustainability report.
It increased the number of supermarkets with natural refrigerant systems from 78 to 104 and the number of liquor stores from 56 to 80. Coles, which operates more than 1,800 stores, names ammonia (R717) and CO2 (R744) in the report as examples of natural refrigerants.
“A key activity for Coles is upgrading our refrigeration systems, with a phased program to replace 20‒30 systems per year,” the retailer said. “Additionally, when building new supermarkets, the majority (more than 90%) now use natural refrigerants.”
Sustainability strategies: Coles aimed to reduce its combined Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030, using 2020 as the baseline. The group also targeted sourcing 100% renewable energy by June 29, the end of its 2025 fiscal year.
- By June 29, the retailer had reduced its combined Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 81.3% compared to 2020. From 2024 to 2025, it slashed its CO2e emissions by 71.4%.
- “We achieved our [emissions] target this year through the installation of on-site solar, our renewable electricity contracts, as well as energy efficiency measures and refrigeration upgrades,” Coles said.
- The company also met its 100% renewable energy target through large-scale wind and solar certification arrangements, adding solar panels to 139 sites and a 2MWh solar system at its Truganina, Victoria, fulfillment center.
HVAC options: The company continues to trial ways to reduce emissions related to HVAC solutions.
- In its FY2025 report, Coles says it has switched to demand-based HVAC control systems in roughly 460 stores over the past five years to “measurably” reduce energy consumption while maintaining “optimal” store conditions.
- In its FY 2024 report, the retailer mentions trials to heat stores using waste heat from natural refrigerant-based refrigeration systems.
- In 2022, the company opened a supermarket in Glebe Hill Village, Howrah (Tasmania) with a transcritical CO2 refrigeration system, a CO2 heat pump for store heating and a propane (R290) chiller for store cooling.
Pushing boundaries: Coles seeks to advance energy efficiency technologies to improve its overall operations.
- In 2023, the retailer opened a new Adelaide supermarket with a 529kW (150.4TR) integrated CO2 HVAC&R system, designed and built by researchers at the University of South Australia and local contractor Glaciem Cooling Technologies. The system incorporates dew point coolers (DP), an air-conditioning technology, to pre-cool the air and reduce transcritical operation and has since been patented by Glaciem.
- Coles also offers flexible load solutions in 150 stores, where it can switch off electricity to support grid stabilization. “These systems allow equipment like refrigeration units and HVAC systems to be temporarily scaled back during periods of grid stress,” the company said.
Quotable: “At the end of [fiscal year] 2025, natural refrigerants were in use in approximately 12% of our supermarkets,” Coles said. “We are converting systems towards the end of their life cycle, where it is practical and commercially viable, and in alignment with the store refurbishment program.”
Tags: Ammonia, Australia, CO2 Refrigeration, Coles, Glaciem Cooling Technologies, University of South Australia