by Brianna Crandall — July 6, 2011—IKEA, the global home furnishings retailer, on June 28 officially plugged in the solar energy system installed at its store in West Sacramento, California, representing the eighth completed solar energy project for IKEA in the United States. There also currently are plans underway to install systems at four other IKEA locations in California as well as eight more in the Eastern U.S.
The 65,000-square-foot array in West Sacramento consists of a 573-kW system, built with approximately 2,548 panels. The system will produce approximately 795,500 kWh of clean electricity annually—the equivalent of reducing 630 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), eliminating the emissions of 109 cars or powering 69 homes yearly (using EPA’s energy calculator).
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 third IKEA installation in the 70,000-square-mile service area of PG&E, the utility providing natural gas and electric service to approximately 15 million people throughout northern and central California.
IKEA, drawing from its Swedish heritage and respect of nature, believes it can be a good business while doing good business and strives for its operations to minimize impacts on the environment. Globally, IKEA says it evaluates all locations regularly for energy conservation opportunities, integrates innovative materials into product design, works with Global Forest Watch to maintain sustainable resources, and flat-packs goods for efficient distribution.
Specific U.S. sustainable efforts include: recycling waste material (paper, wood, plastic, etc.); incorporating environmental measures into the construction of buildings in terms of energy-efficient HVAC and lighting systems, recycled construction materials, skylights in warehouse areas, and water conserving restrooms; and operationally, phasing out the sale of incandescent light bulbs and facilitating recycling of customers’ compact fluorescent bulbs.
