Morrisons is opening its greenest supermarket yet and plans to use it as a blueprint to improve the environmental credentials of the rest of its stores and manufacturing sites.

The 22,200 sq ft store in Stanground, Peterborough boasts a solar-powered heating system featuring a solar wall that can pre-heat fresh air. Further heating is provided by a water source heat pump that uses recovered waste heat from the store's refrigeration units leading to a 40% reduction in CO2 emissions compared with a similarly sized store.

The store also features greener refrigeration, dimmable lighting, rainwater harvesting and electric car charging points.

Morrisons is working towards a 30% reduction of operational carbon emissions by 2020.

Moves to beef up its green credentials had played an important role in satisfying the planning authorities, said a spokesman, and would be a key tool in securing more sites for new stores.

"Obviously we are very keen to increase our store space right now," he said. "The green element here was key to gaining permission."

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