Burbank, CA — On April 13, IKEA officially plugged in the solar energy system installed at its store in Burbank, Calif.
Burbank, CA — On April 13, home furnishings retailer IKEA officially plugged in the solar energy system installed at its store in Burbank, Calif. The 35,000-square-foot array consists of a 290-kW system, built with approximately 1,260 panels. IKEA Burbank’s solar program will produce approximately 421,300 kWh of electricity annually, the equivalent of reducing at least 334 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) — equaling the emissions of 58 cars or powering 37 homes yearly. The 242,000-square-foot store first opened in 1990.
This initiative represents the fourth solar energy project for IKEA in the U.S. Systems are operational in Brooklyn, N.Y., Pittsburgh, Pa., and Tempe, Ariz., and plans are underway for installing programs at seven other IKEA locations in California, and two more on the East Coast. Also, both a solar energy and geothermal system were incorporated into the Denver-area store opening this year in Centennial, Colo.
IKEA contracted with Gloria Solar for the development, design and installation of this customized solar power system. Gloria Solar is the United States operating group focused on the photovoltaic system business within the family of E-Ton Solar Group.
Specific sustainable efforts in the U.S. by the Sweden-based retailer 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.
There currently are more than 300 IKEA stores in 38 countries, including 37 in the U.S. For more information, go to www.IKEA-USA.com.