Ikea commits to solar, EV charging in San Antonio

11/14/2018
Ikea’s commitment to sustainability will be reflected in its new San Antonio-area store.

The home furnishings giant said that its upcoming location in Live Oak, Texas will be equipped with solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations when it opens in the winter months of 2019. The 289,000-sq.-ft. store will feature a 245,000-sq.-ft. solar array, which will consist of a 1.72 MW system, built with 4,986 panels, and produce approximately 2,510,000 kWh of electricity annually for the store. Ikea commissioned REC Solar for the development, design and installation of the system.

In addition, the store will have three Blink electric vehicle charging stations. This initiative reflects the continued partnership between Ikea and Blink Charging Co., a leading owner, operator and provider of electric vehicle charging station products and networked EV charging services with thousands of public charging stations in the U.S. There are currently Blink EV charging units at 34 IKEA stores in the U.S.

The Live Oak installation will represent the 55th solar project for Ikea in the U.S., and contribute to the company’s solar presence atop nearly 90% of its U.S. locations, with a total generation of more than 56 MW. Ikea owns and operates the solar PV energy systems atop its buildings as opposed to a solar lease or PPA (power purchase agreement).

Globally, Ikea has allocated $2.5 billion to invest in renewable energy through 2020, reinforcing its confidence and investment in solar photovoltaic technology. In line with its goal of being energy independent by 2020, Ikea has installed more than 750,000 solar panels on buildings across the world and owns approximately 441 wind turbines, including 104 in the U.S.

The Live Oak Ikea store will be built on 31 acres at the southwest corner of Interstate 35 and Loop 1604, approximately 15 miles northeast of downtown San Antonio.
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