Ikea U.S. launches two major sustainability initiatives
Ikea U.S. is doubling down on its commitment to become a climate positive business.
The retailer is launching two initiatives that align with its goal to increase on-site renewable energy, increase energy effiency and eliminate the use of fossil fuels from its operations.
The initiatives include a solar installation project that is adding solar car parks, additional rooftop solar panels and battery energy storage systems to six Ikea stores and one fulfillment center. The other is a large-scale renewable heating and cooling (RHC) project to replace and optimize existing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. The project will start with five stores in 2023.
“We are taking bold steps to reduce our climate footprint in the United States and become a climate positive business by 2030,” said Mardi Ditze, country sustainability manager, Ikea U.S. “The solar project aligns with our goal of being powered by 100% renewable energy, while the renewable heating and cooling project works toward increased energy efficiency and the goal of eliminating fossil fuels from our operations by 80% by 2030.”
In addition, Ingka Investments (the investment arm of Ingka Group, the largest IKEA retailer) and Apex Clean Energy have announced the company’s first-ever battery stroage project.
Here on the details on Ikea’s new sustainability initiatives.
Solar Project
The Ikea stores in the solar installation project are located in Brooklyn, N.Y.; Covina, Calif.; New Haven, Conn.; Paramus, N.J.; Stoughton, Mass.; and Tempe, Ariz.. The project also includes the chain’s fulfillment facility in Tejon, Calif.
Ikea’s Paramus was the first to have mechanical completion (in July 2023). The location also features the company’s first-ever long-span carpark system, which maximizes the number of solar panels and covers the entire parking deck roof.
Two other locations are also on track to be completed in 2023 (Covina and the fulfillment facility), with the remaining four stores to be done in 2024. When all seven units are operational, they will collectively provide 13,600 megawatt hours of yearly production, the equivalent of offsetting 5,883 tons of carbon that would have entered the atmosphere.
RHC
The RHC project will replace and optimize the existing HVAC equipment with new centralized systems with high energy efficiency and coefficient performance at five locations in 2023 including, Ikea’s stores in Canton, Mich.; Draper, Utah; Orlando, Fla.; Round Rock, Tex.; and Tampa, Fla. It’s a four-stage project that is done while stores remain open and will take roughly a year to complete.
“Our RHC projects are a crucial part of our real estate contribution to building decarbonization and increased energy efficiency,” said Adrian Avino, IKEA U.S. engineer. “This year is only the beginning as we have a roadmap in place to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% across our operations by 2030,”
IKEA has long been committed to investing in renewable energy to meet its sustainability goal of becoming climate positive by 2030. In the U.S., the company currently owns over 250,000 solar panels across 90% of its locations, two geothermal properties, seven fuel cell arrays and two wind farms which produce more renewable energy than the amount of energy used at its U.S. locations.
Battery Storage
Ingka Investments (the investment arm of Ingka Group, the largest Ikea retailer) and Apex Clean Energy are launching the company’s first-ever battery storage project, Cameron Storage. The standalone lithium-ion battery will support the Texas power grid and increase reliability amid fluctuations in supply and demand.
The 16.4 MW project, which will begin operations in the coming weeks, is co-located with Ingka Investments’ Cameron Wind Farm, a 55 turbine, 165 MW project operational since 2015.
Cameron Storage, located in Cameron County, Tex., is part of Ingka Group’s steps across the business to help achieve Ikea’s ommitment to becoming climate positive by 2030. As the largest Ikea franchisee, the company said it has an important part to play in achieving these commitments, for example, switching to renewable energy, transitioning to zero emission home deliveries, offering circular services, and more.
“Going forward we aim to invest in a mix of wind, solar and energy storage,” said Peter van der Poel, managing director at Ingka Investments. “Investing in all three technologies will help to provide renewable energy during more hours of the year and optimize the use of our grid connections.”
Ingka Investments and Apex have been partnering in renewable energy projects for more than eight years. Apex has previously sold two wind farms to Ingka Group; 165 MW Cameron Wind and 98 MW Hoopeston Wind, which are managed by the renewable energy company.
“Utility-scale energy storage unlocks the full potential of clean power to decarbonize our economy while providing increased reliability and certainty for our electric grid.” said Ken Young, CEO, Apex Clean Energy.
Powin is serving as the equipment vendor, and Worley is providing engineering, procurement, and construction services for the project.