Ahold Delhaize (OTCQX: ADRNY), one of the world’s largest food retail groups operating supermarkets, convenience stores, hypermarkets, e-commerce platforms, pharmacies, and liquor stores across Europe, the United States, and Indonesia, has taken another meaningful step on its journey toward eliminating emissions from its electricity consumption in Europe. The company recently signed a Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) for a new wind farm set to be built in Galaţi County, eastern Romania. This move reflects Ahold Delhaize’s ongoing commitment to reducing its environmental impact and aligns with its goal to reach zero emissions from electricity use by 2035.
The wind farm, owned by HELLENiQ Renewables, a subsidiary of HELLENiQ ENERGY Holdings, is being developed and will be constructed by OX2, with plans to be operational by 2027. Once in operation, this facility will produce around 309 gigawatt hours of electricity annually. To put that into perspective, that equals the typical annual electricity usage of about 89,000 Romanian households. Ahold Delhaize will contract approximately half of this output, acquiring around 158,000 megawatt hours of renewable energy per year through the VPPA. This amount represents roughly 10% of the company’s anticipated electricity consumption in its European operations by 2030, factoring in its expected growth.
A pressing challenge addressed by this agreement concerns the current state of the Romanian renewable energy certificate market, specifically the Guarantees of Origin. Because this system is not yet integrated into the broader European Association of Issuing Bodies (AIB) framework, sourcing locally in Romania was an important consideration for the deal. This VPPA not only supports Ahold Delhaize’s internal sustainability goals but also contributes to expanding Romania’s renewable electricity supply, which benefits the country’s energy landscape broadly.
Frank Sluis, CFO at Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia, remarked on the company’s enthusiasm for the partnership, emphasizing it as a step forward in reaching net-zero emissions in Europe. He expressed appreciation for collaborating with partners who share similar ambitions around responsible energy solutions. On the other side, Vasillis Tsaitas, CFO at HELLENiQ ENERGY, highlighted how the partnership contributes to both sustainability commitments and HELLENiQ ENERGY’s strategic plans for growth within Romania’s renewable energy sector. The collaboration aligns both companies in furthering their shared investment in sustainable energy initiatives.
This Romanian VPPA marks the third such agreement for Ahold Delhaize in recent years. The company’s renewable energy efforts began with a direct Power Purchase Agreement signed in the Netherlands in 2023 and continued with a VPPA established in Spain in 2024. These agreements are part of a wider strategy to achieve net-zero carbon emissions across its own operations, which includes scope 1 and 2 emissions, by 2040. Beyond reducing its footprint, Ahold Delhaize also aims to build greater resilience in its energy sourcing through these long-term partnerships and investments.
Overall, this latest agreement underlines Ahold Delhaize’s drive to actively contribute to renewable energy infrastructure development across Europe. By securing clean energy contracts in various markets, the company not only advances its sustainability commitments but also supports the growth of renewable energy sectors in the countries where it operates.
This ongoing movement towards renewable energy by a major international retailer like Ahold Delhaize offers a glimpse into the evolving landscape of corporate environmental responsibility, one where companies are increasingly embracing investments in clean energy as integral to their operational and strategic future.
