Irish energy supplier Vayu Energy has signed a gas and renewable electricity deal with retailer Debenhams Ireland valued at €3m per annum.
The agreement will see Vayu Energy supply Debenhams with gas and 100 per cent green electricity to meet the year-round energy requirements for its five stores in Northern Ireland and 11 stores in the Republic of Ireland including the branch at Eyre Square, Galway.
The deal provides Debenhams with direct access to wholesale market prices for both electricity and gas, allowing the company to achieve significant savings compared with traditional fixed rate tariffs in the market. A critical consideration for Debenhams in choosing Vayu as its energy partner was the ability to source fully traceable green electricity for its operations, thereby helping to significantly reduce the company’s carbon footprint. Vayu is the only energy company in Ireland to supply all its business customers with electricity 100 per cent attributed to renewable sources.
Debenhams’ energy manager Jaz Rabadia, says the deal is a win-win for the company, enabling it to manage energy procurement more effectively while significantly reducing costs. Ms Rabadia says energy use is a key focus for Debenhams as part of the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability. “We have delivered a continuous programme of energy investment over the last five years to reduce carbon emissions across all aspects of our business. Our partnership with Vayu helps us reduce our environmental footprint even further.”
Stephen Behan, energy specialist at Vayu, says with energy costs becoming a greater consideration, businesses across Ireland are seeking more effective ways to manage their energy procurement and achieve substantial savings. “This is changing the way companies source their energy - moving away from traditional commodity approaches to solutions that minimise the per-unit cost of energy purchased.”
Mr Behan says environmental considerations are also playing a greater role, when businesses purchase electricity, with access to renewable electricity becoming a very important issue as companies look to minimise their carbon footprint and limit the environmental impact of their activities.
