Ikea Looks for Sunny Sky

January 11, 2012  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Green on January 12, 2012

Home furnishings retailer Ikea will install solar energy panels on five more of its United States locations, all in the Midwest.

Pending governmental permits, Ikea expects to complete installation this summer on the projects, whose implementation will extend the Ikea's solar presence to nearly 85 percent of its U.S. locations. Collectively, the five stores will total 4.8 megawatts of solar generating capacity, approximately 20,400 panels, and an annual output of 5.62 million kilowatt hours of electricity--the equivalent to reducing 4,273 tons of carbon dioxide; and equal to eliminating the emissions of 760 cars or providing electricity for 484 homes yearly. per this calculation of clean energy equivalents.

Ikea will own and operate each of its solar PV energy systems atop its buildings, versus a solar lease or power purchase agreement--now including its two Chicago-area stores (Bolingbrook and Schaumburg), as well as stores in Bloomington, Minn., Canton, Mich., and Pittsburgh, Pa.

Ikea already has 12 U.S. solar energy systems operational with 20 more underway. Installing solar panels atop these five latest locations will result in total U.S. generating capacity of 31.6 megawatts.

"We are pleased that solar energy systems already have proven successful at IKEA locations and are thrilled we now can complete the solar coverage of all our Midwestern stores," said Mike Ward, IKEA U.S. president. "With only 44 locations nationwide, we try to contribute whenever and wherever possible to creating a better everyday life for the many. So--from a sustainability perspective--we are open to ideas for incorporating key environmental technologies and look forward to considering other opportunities as they arise too."