Ikea’s solar system in Centennial, Col., store goes live

Centennial, Col. -- Ikea on Tuesday officially plugged-in the solar energy system installed at its upcoming location in Centennial, Col. (the 415,000-sq.-ft. store is due to open on July 27).



The 60,000-sq.-ft. array consists of a 498-kW system, built with 2,212 panels. It will produce approximately 740,000 kWh of electricity annually, the equivalent of reducing at least 564 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), eliminating the emissions of 100 cars or powering 62 homes yearly.



The project – the largest single-use rooftop array on a commercial building in Colorado – will contribute to the local utility’s renewable portfolio goals and lower the carbon intensity of the electrical grid. Ikea contracted with California-based REC Solar, one of the largest U.S. solar electric providers, which specializes in grid-tied solar electric design and installation.



With this latest effort, Ikea now has six solar programs in the United States with installations pending at eight other stores. The Centennial local also will be the first U.S. Ikea store to incorporate a geothermal system for heating/cooling the building.