April 13, 2017

IKEA plans Indiana's largest retail solar array

As home furnishing retailer IKEA continues its deployment of rooftop solar across its portfolio of U.S. stores, the company announced plans April 13 for a new system in Indiana that will be the largest retail solar rooftop in the state. 

The project is expected to be completed this summer, with the store itself opening in the fall in Fishers, Ind., IKEA said in a news release.  The store's 219,000-square-foot solar array will consist of a 1.34-MW system, built with 3,888 panels, and will produce approximately 1,752,845 kWh of electricity annually. 

IKEA partnered with REC Solar for the development, design and installation of the project. 

“We are excited about furthering our sustainability commitment and contributing to a low-carbon society with solar panels on this Indianapolis-area store,” IKEA U.S. President Lars Petersson said in a statement. "At IKEA, we have a mission to create a better everyday life for the many, and IKEA Fishers can add to this goal with Indiana’s largest retail solar rooftop installation."

IKEA has solar presence atop nearly 90% of its U.S. locations, with a total generation goal of more than 42 MW. IKEA owns and operates each of its solar PV energy systems atop its buildings as opposed to a solar lease or power purchase agreements.

The company has globally allocated $2.5 billion to invest in renewable energy through 2020.  Toward a corporate goal of being energy independent by 2020, IKEA has installed more than 700,000 solar panels on buildings across the world and owns approximately 300 wind turbines, including 104 in the U.S.