Ikea completes solar installation at Cincinnati-area store

West Chester, Ohio -- Ikea said Tuesday that it has officially plugged-in the solar energy system installed at its Cincinnati-area store in West Chester, Ohio.



The 128,000-sq.-ft. PV array consists of a 1,026-kW system, built with 4,186 panels. Ikea West Chester’s program will produce approximately 1,334,300 kWh of clean electricity annually, the equivalent of reducing 1,014 tons of carbon dioxide, eliminating the emissions of 180 cars or powering 115 homes yearly.



Ikea owns and operates each of its solar PV energy systems atop its buildings – as opposed to a solar lease or power purchase agreement – and the West Chester installation represents the 14th completed solar energy project for Ikea in the United States, with 23 more locations underway, making the eventual U.S. solar presence of Ikea nearly 85% and a total generation of 30.8 MW.



For the development, design and installation of the West Chester store’s customized solar power system, Ikea contracted with REC Solar.



The 344,000-sq.-ft. West Chester Ikea store opened in March 2008.