Lidl Ireland will open the doors to Ireland’s first Net Zero Energy supermarket in Maynooth Co. Kildare, at 8am on Thursday 6th November, with presenter, author and sustainability enthusiast Roz Purcell cutting the ribbon on the state-of-the-art new store.
Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy, Darragh O’Brien, T.D., who was in attendance for the official sod-turning back in May will also be present on the day.
Shoppers are encouraged to get down early to be the first to experience the groundbreaking new store, meet Roz and enjoy special in-store entertainment and opening day offers including in-store vouchers for the first ten queuing customers to redeem against their shop.
This first-of-its-kind Lidl store is set to make history as Ireland’s first Net Zero Energy supermarket, developed in partnership with the Irish Green Building Council. The store has a significant 575 kWp solar panel system installed across both the roof and the car park - the equivalent of 13 tennis courts - further cementing Lidl's position as the owner of the largest rooftop solar array in the country.
Built with sustainability at its core, construction of the store prioritised renewable features and materials including concrete made from 50% recycled materials, sustainable glulam timber roof beams and lower embodied carbon roof and wall panels.
The store is expected to save enough energy to power more than 40 typical Irish households each year and the equivalent carbon savings of avoiding 1,500 flights from Ireland to Spain annually, setting a new standard for sustainable commercial buildings. The new store represents a significant investment of more than €10 million, demonstrating Lidl’s commitment to sustainability and investment in cutting edge innovations to future proof its store network.
Externally, Lidl’s Net Zero Energy supermarket will shine a light on the importance of biodiversity. Shoppers will be able to enjoy the store’s very own pollinator-friendly Community Garden featuring bird boxes, insect log piles and native plants. Visually, the store will be noticeably different with a ‘living wall’ and plant boxes on the roof sustained by the store’s own rainwater harvesting system.
Shoppers will also have access to six customer electric vehicle charging points that run off renewable electricity, reducing the impact of customer commutes. 12 Ebike and e-scooter chargers will also be available for customer use as well as enhanced cycle parking.
The opening of the Maynooth store, located on Straffan Road, supports more than 30 permanent jobs for the local area and takes the retailer’s store count to 13 within County Kildare, expanding the retailer’s workforce in the county to more than 500 employees.
The opening of this Net Zero Energy store in Maynooth marks a significant milestone in Lidl’s commitment to achieving net-zero by 2050 across its entire supply chain, as part of its ‘A Better Tomorrow’ sustainability strategy. Lidl has also committed to reducing carbon emissions by 46 per cent on operational emissions by 2030.
Looking ahead to the opening of Ireland’s first Net Zero Energy supermarket, Robert Ryan, CEO at Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland, commented:
“The opening of Ireland’s first Net Zero Energy supermarket marks an exciting milestone for Lidl Ireland and our sustainability journey. This store showcases how innovation and investment can reduce our environmental footprint while continuing to deliver unbeatable value for our customers – bringing our ‘more to value’ promise to life."
“Sustainability is at the heart of our business, from operating with 100 per cent green electricity across our network to becoming Ireland’s largest commercial solar energy generator. Our Maynooth store represents the next step in our journey to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, helping to futureproof our operations while making greener living more accessible for our customers. We are very excited to open the doors and see our customer’s reactions to this first of its kind store. “
Lidl Ireland currently employs more than 6,000 employees in its 188 stores, Head Office in Tallaght and three distribution centres and regional offices based in Charleville, Mullingar and Newbridge.
*Lidl Ireland was recently named #1 Value for Money Organisation and Most Reputable Supermarket in the 2025 RepTrak Ireland study. The retailer was named Most Sustainable Retailer in Ireland, ranking #3 in the RepTrak® Sustainability Index for 2024.
Lidl’s Maynooth store will open daily: Monday – Saturday 8:00am – 10:00pm and Sunday 9:00am – 9:00pm
For further information, the latest instore offers and career opportunities please visit www.lidl.ie
