IKEA Goes Solar
Investment at Atlantic Station store reinforces company’s commitment to sustainability and reflects a business and operating model designed to minimize impacts on the environment.
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Global furnishings mega-retailer IKEA is in the process of installing solar energy panels on the rooftops of 10 of its southern-based United States stores, including the location at Atlantic Station.
The company expects significant energy to be conserved, which in turn will result in cost savings.
Collectively, the nine stores and one distribution center will total 10.7 Megawatts (MW) of solar generating capacity, nearly 45,360 panels, and a projected annual electricity output of 15,248,334 kilowatt hours (kWh).
The expected 1,421,300 kWh/year generated by Atlanta’s system will be the equivalent to reducing 1,080 tons of CO2, eliminating 192 cars from the road or powering 122 homes.
Adding solar to the new locations increases the company’s solar presence to 75-percent of its 44 U.S. buildings (13 are already operational) and a total solar generating capacity of approximately 26.8 MW.
“IKEA believes we can be a good business while doing good business,” said Mike Ward, IKEA U.S. president, in a press release. “This investment extends our solar presence to the Southern U.S., further reducing our carbon footprint and the intensity of the electrical grid.”
The technology is photovoltaic, but the actual panels are specifically polycrystalline modules. The company expects the project to be completed and operational by early summer. For more information, see here.
Chris R
11:25 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Is there any word about how these panels were financed? Does this involve some financing incentive that other [large flat rooftop] folks in Atlanta can participate in? Atlanta geographically sits less favorable in regards to average sunshine and average wind, however Atlanta has well above the average of [large flat rooftop] businesses willing to finance solar panels in order to be "green". Can this article be made more of a common thing, rather than a newsworthy exception? Any financial capital firms out there willing to make this city a better place?
Deidra Cunningham
4:52 pm on Sunday, May 6, 2012
There are a variety of financial assistance programs available from governmental entities and utilities, depending on a building’s location, energy consumption, potential PV solar program size, etc. With the help of solar installers, IKEA assessed, and applied for, which programs existed that applied to our specific use. Since every situation is different, we recommend that others conduct their own research to best find out which opportunities may exist for them.