UK retailer Tesco has announced a partnership with iVeridis to identify the best new energy efficiency and environmental technologies.

iVeridis’ greensourcing software allows businesses to input their green tech requirements, which are then matched to the most appropriate solutions available through the company’s network of over 50,000 organisations.

The network of organisations ranges from start-ups to SMEs and includes universities and research and development companies.

Tesco says it plans to use the software to identify ways of improving energy efficiency at its 2979 UK stores to help towards its goal of being zero carbon by 2050.

The retailer opened its first zero-carbon supermarket in Cambridgeshire three years ago and has since then completed a further six most recently in Cefn Mawr in Wales.

In a trial of iVeridis’ software last year, Tesco identified strategies such as introducing LED lighting into Express stories and small-scale energy-from-waste generators, which are now being investigated by the retailer’s engineering team.

The retailer says it hopes to unearth new energy efficiency and environmental technologies, which can be rolled out to its stores over the next 2-3 years.

“Tesco prides itself on being a leader in sustainability,” says Tesco’s environmental programme manager Tim Brooks. “We are always looking for innovative ways to further improve the efficiency of our stores, and we believe iVeridis will have an important role to play in this process.”

But Tesco still has some way to catch up with high street rival Marks and Spencer that announced it had become carbon neutral last month and is well on the way to completing its ‘Plan A’ of environmental and sustainability goals.

For further information:
www.tescoplc.com/
www.iveridis.com/

Related stories:
M&S becomes UK’s first major carbon neutral retailer (7-Jun)
Tesco’s first zero-carbon store in Ireland opens (13-Jan)
UK retailer Tesco to work with suppliers to reduce carbon footprint (13-May 2011)