Commercial, Solar, Sourcing Renewables  -  July 19, 2018

IKEA powers largest rooftop solar project in Wisconsin

IKEA has installed a solar array on top its new 290,000-square-foot store in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. The 1.6-megawatt array is expected to provide between 20% and 50% of the power needed for the store, producing more than 2 million kilowatts of electricity annually. 

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported this system, which includes 4,716 solar panels, to be the largest rooftop solar power project in Wisconsin. The system was designed and developed by REC Solar.

 "IKEA strives to create a sustainable life for communities where we operate, and IKEA Oak Creek is adding to this goal with Wisconsin’s largest rooftop solar array," said Samantha Gravina, manager of the store, which opened in May in the Milwaukee suburb.

The reported noted this is Ikea’s 52^nd solar project in the U.S., giving the retailer solar presence on top of 90 percent of its American locations. In total, IKEA has installed more than 700,000 solar panels on buildings worldwide, and also owns 300 wind turbines, including more than 100 in the U.S.

While the project surpassed a rooftop array at American Family Insurance in Madison to become the largest in the state, it is expected to be surpassed itself later this year by a solar project at Madison College.

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