Ikea California Store Powers up on Solar

September 28, 2011  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Green on September 29, 2011

Home furnishings retail giant Ikea has powered up the solar energy system in its Covina, Calif. store.

The Covina store is Ikea's 12th completed solar energy project in the United States. Additional installations currently are underway at eight more locations in the Eastern U.S.

The 57,000-square-foot PV array consists of a 451-kW system, built with 2,002 panels. Ikea Covina's program will produce approximately 651,800 kWh of clean electricity annually, the equivalent of reducing 495 tons of carbon dioxide, eliminating the emissions of 88 cars or powering 55 homes yearly, according to EPA clean energy equivalents.

For the development, design and installation of this customized solar power system, Ikea contracted with Gloria Solar, the U.S. operating group focused on the photovoltaic business within the family of E-Ton Solar Group. This project is the second Ikea installation in the 50,000-square-mile service area of Southern California Edison, the utility providing electric power to approximately 14 million people throughout Southern California.

"Our mission is to create a better everyday life for the many people, and at Ikea Covina, we just added to this effort," said Kristien Verbeke, Ikea Covina store manager. "A solar energy system will help reduce our store's carbon footprint and represents another investment toward our future in this community. We appreciate the continued support of the City of Covina, Southern California Edison, and Gloria Solar, our partners in this project."