Welcoming news that Sainsbury’s has installed 69,500 new solar panels across 169 stores in the UK, becoming host to the largest solar array in Europe, Friends of the Earth Director of Policy and Campaigns Craig Bennett said:

“This major solar investment will make Sainsbury’s a greener grocer and gives a significant boost to the UK’s renewable energy sector.

“Firms across the UK are waking up to the business benefits of using clean British energy from the sun, wind and waves to reduce our reliance on increasingly expensive fossil fuels.

“It’s little surprise that 85 per cent of the public want the Government to force the energy companies to use more renewable energy and less fossil fuels – if we do this and cut waste it will bring down bills in the long term and create new UK industries and jobs.

“The Government must do more to reap the UK’s huge potential for renewable energy – their new Energy Bill must aim for a carbon-free electricity sector by 2030.”