Opportunity Issue 108

ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Retail
distribution
in an energylimited
world
Solly Engelbrecht, National Logistics
Executive at The SPAR Group, has been
thinking about the future of distribution
in the retail sector. Localisation is among
the key approaches that should be adopted
to ensure a reliable power supply.
Solar panels are easily
installed on almost any roof
and are increasingly efficient.
Credit: Versofy Solar
Recent extended stage 4 to 6 power
outages have once again emphasised
the need for broader solutions that
will enable businesses not only to
endure, but also prosper during the current
energy challenges.
The SPAR Group is actively investing in
power initiatives to reduce reliance on Eskom
and promote sustainable strategies. However,
achieving complete independence from the
grid will demand continuous innovation to
fill the gaps where solar energy cannot.
Significant progress has been made in
expanding the solar capabilities at all six of
our Distribution Centres (DCs).
However, considering we service SPAR
stores nationwide and across borders, our
goal of transitioning all six DCs to operate
entirely off the grid will require continuous
innovation to find ways to supplement our
current solar rollout. Solar energy alone
cannot sufficiently sustain the uninterrupted,
24-hour operation that is essential for our
refrigeration units, storage centres and other
critical equipment.
Our South Rand DC, for instance, was the
first to move away from its sole reliance on
Eskom for electricity. Installation of solar
panels at both our perishables and drygoods
warehouses has already resulted in a
very significant ongoing reduction in energy
usage from Eskom. This is a clear example of
why sustainability is good for South Africa
in the long term and just how beneficial the
change can be for the sector and for society.
The high cost of lithium batteries and
the lack of sufficient wind power around
our built-up DC has meant we needed to
think out of the box. For instance, we are
considering investing in a smaller bank of
generators and gas power, rather than the
traditional large, standby, diesel generator.
We are also investigating alternative wind
generation options.
Additionally, we have invested in LED
lighting throughout all DCs for a further
energy consumption reduction and in
our KwaZulu-Natal perishables DC, these
LEDs are linked to an intelligent-lightingmanagement
system. This system, which
can be monitored and activated remotely,
senses movement in each aisle and adjusts
the brightness of the light levels accordingly.
If no movement is detected, the lights dims
significantly. This has resulted in a significant
reduction in energy use for lighting.
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