IKEA reveals plans to install just over 5MW of solar installations on six Eastern US stores

Sep 1, 2011 - Syanne Olson - pv-tech.org

IKEA’s mission to minimize its impact on the global environment continues with the announcement of six more solar installations to take place on its locations in the Eastern US. Since the beginning of this year, the home design giant has completed a 498kW solar system at its Denver store and a 200kW installation at its Brooklyn facility, while also announcing plans for two solar systems to be installed at store locations in Germany.

The projects will be completed at store and office sites in Baltimore and College Park, Maryland, Conshohocken and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and West Chester, Ohio. The Baltimore store will have the solar installation placed across 79,000 square feet of its rooftop space and generate 631kW with 2,744 panels for 840,400kWh per year. Conversely, the company’s College Park store will install a 1.185kW solar system over 148,200 square feet of roof space. The system will use 5,150 panels to produce 1,556,600kWh of electricity annually.

In Pennsylvania, the Conshohocken store will install a 1.201kW system on 150,100 square feet and use 5,220 panels for 1,431,100kWh of electricity per year. The IKEA office in Conshohocken will have a 33kW solar system on 4,200 square feet and generate 39,500kWh of energy per annum. IKEA’s Philadelphia store will utilize 4,356 panels across 125,300 square feet for a 1.002kW system that is expected to produce 1,194,200kWh of energy every year.

The sixth installation will be completed at IKEA’s store in West Chester, Ohio. The 1.024kW system will have 4,452 panels working to generate 1,331,700kWh of solar energy annually.  This store, along with the stores in Maryland, will see IKEA contract with REC Solar for the design and installation of the solar systems, while Gloria Solar will work on the three Philadelphia IKEA locations.

Once government permits have been attained, installations are scheduled to begin later this spring and reach completion by the fall. The six systems will collectively generate 5.076MW of solar electricity, with an expected 6.39 million kilowatt hours of annual electricity, by using around 22,000 panels.

“We are excited to continue investing in renewable energy projects, reducing our carbon footprint, and improving the lives of the many people,” said Mike Ward, IKEA US president. “Adding solar energy to more US locations is consistent with our commitment to sustainable building practices, so we are thrilled our evaluation determined these projects to be feasible for IKEA. We are open to considering other opportunities and technologies too.”