Netherlands-based international food retailer Ahold Delhaize announced today that it has signed a 10-year virtual Power Purchase Agreement (vPPA) with renewable energy producer Rezolv Energy, supporting the development of new large-scale solar and wind projects in Romania.
With the new agreement in place, Ahold Delhaize said that it has reached a key sustainability milestone, with the company now matching its expected electricity consumption in European operations with renewable electricity by 2030, five years ahead of its original 2035 target.
The deal marks Ahold Delhaize’s fifth and final power purchase agreement under its European renewable energy program, following earlier agreements in the Netherlands in 2023, Spain in 2024, and Romania and Finland in 2025.
Lenka Duskova, CFO Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia said:
“We are pleased to support the development of these wind and solar projects in Romania, which will add new renewable capacity to the grid while contributing to a more sustainable future for the communities we serve.”
Under the agreement, Ahold Delhaize will contract approximately 370 GWh of renewable electricity annually, representing 14% of the combined expected output from Rezolv’s new 1.3 GWp Dama Solar project and 300 MW Dunarea East Wind Farm.
The two projects are expected to generate a combined 2,580 GWh of electricity annually. Dama Solar, located in Arad County in western Romania, is expected to become the EU’s largest onshore renewable energy project once operational, generating approximately 1,800 GWh annually. The project will cover more than 1,000 hectares, including 82 hectares designated as a nature reserve.
The two projects are expected to start commercial operations in 2029.
According to the companies, it is one of the largest corporate renewable energy deals signed in Southeastern Europe and one of the first in Romania to combine solar and wind power.
Alastair Hammond, CEO, Rezolv Energy, said:
“This is one of the largest and most important corporate renewable energy agreements ever signed in Southeastern Europe. By committing to such a significant share of the output from these two iconic projects, Ahold Delhaize has become a key corporate investor in Romania’s energy transition.”
Ahold Delhaize said that the agreement supports its broader climate goals, including targets to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across its own operations (Scope 1 and 2) by 2040 and across its entire value chain by 2050, as well as to reduce absolute Scope 3 forest, land and agriculture (FLAG) emissions by 30.3% by 2030 and at least 72% by 2050, compared with a 2020 baseline.
