Parcel lockers are becoming more sustainable in France thanks to the launch of the first solar-powered outlets by La Poste Group subsidiary Pickup.
The units are being rolled out all over France, with 1,000 solar-powered lockers planned by the end of 2024 as part of La Poste Group’s wider ambition to offer 100% low-emission parcel delivery in 22 French cities by 2025. Pickup aims to convert half of all its lockers to solar power by the end of 2026.
“Creating energy-independent lockers powered by solar panels was a concrete way for us to make our energy transition and contribute to the common effort in favor of more virtuous and responsible consumption,” said Maxime d’Hauteville, president of Pickup. “This solution also offers a significant benefit to our relay partners, by eliminating the time and cost of connection work, as well as the price of electricity linked to the operation of the lockers.”
These innovative solar-powered lockers, most of which are accessible 24/7, will gradually be offered to all Pickup partners with outdoor space and are suitable for all French regions. The solar locker can operate autonomously for 10 days without sunshine thanks to its batteries, making it as reliable as plug-in models, according to Pickup.
The company is also looking to reduce the energy consumption of its ‘classic’ lockers by developing a system that puts non-essential elements of the locker on standby when not in use, with savings of 30%.