A Sainsbury’s store in Gloucester Quays has become the first in Europe to generate green power from kinetic plates that are charged when cars drive over them.

The new store, which is set to open on Wednesday 17th June, will be able to produce 30KW of electricity per hour, which will be used to power its checkouts, cutting down its grid usage.

Energy is produced every time a vehicle drives over the plates without having any discernable effect on people driving in or out of the supermarket’s car park.

As well as the kinetic plates, the store will also be equipped with a system to capture rainwater and solar thermal panels. It was constructed from re-used and recycled building materials.

Alison Austin, environment manager for Sainsbury’s, said: “Customers can now play a very active role in helping make their local shop greener, without extra effort or cost.

“Using amazing technology like this helps us reduce our use of carbon and makes Sainsbury’s a leading energy efficient business.”

Previously, the supermarket has committed itself to reducing CO2 emissions by 25 percent per square metre by 2012 compared to 2004-05 levels.