Lidl is set to invest more than €10m to build the country's first Net Zero Energy supermarket.

The new store in Maynooth Co. Kildare has been described by the chain as the 'first-of-its-kind'.

When completed, it will generate all of its operational energy from onsite renewable sources.

It will also fully offset the carbon associated with its construction through renewable energy generation.

The store will feature a 575 kWp solar panel system installed on both the roof and within the car park, while the building will incorporate concrete made from 50% recycled materials, sustainable glulam timber roof beams and lower embodied carbon roof panels.

Additionally, stone from Lidl’s original Maynooth store has been 100% recycled onsite to further reduce emissions and will be reused as part of the build.

Materials from the deconstruction of the former Lidl store on the site have been donated to the wider community.

Four local primary schools received bird boxes and insect hotels crafted from timber salvaged from the old roof, while local community association ACRE Project repurposed soil for flower planting and used reclaimed fencing to build chicken coops.

The new store will have a pollinator-friendly featuring bird boxes, insect log piles and native plants.

Visually, the store will also be noticeably different with a ‘living wall’ and plant boxes on the roof.

It will also have six customer electric vehicle charging points that run off renewable electricity, as well as 12 Ebike and e-scooter chargers.

It is estimated that when completed the energy saved by the supermarket will be the equivalent of the energy used by 40 typical Irish households each year.

While the carbon savings are similar to 1,500 flights from Ireland to Spain annually.

The new supermarket is set to open to customers in November.

Lidl has committed to reducing carbon emissions by 46 per cent on operational emissions by 2030 and to achieving net-zero by 2050 across its entire supply chain.

CEO of Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland, Robert Ryan, said: "When we joined the Irish retail market 25 years ago, we transformed shopping behaviour.

"With this investment, we are once again leading the way—bringing to life our commitment to achieving Net Zero for our customers and enhancing the sustainable credentials of the Irish retail industry.

“As the largest commercial owner of solar panels in Ireland, we have made real progress in recent years in reducing our operational emissions using 100% green electricity across our store network of 185 stores and three regional distributions centres.

“The development of our Net Zero Energy store is the next step in our sustainability journey.

"More than just a supermarket, this store will serve as a test bed for sustainable innovations—helping us identify scalable improvements that can be rolled out across our entire network to deliver greater energy and carbon savings.”

Pics: Chris Bellew / Fennell Photography 2025