IKEA to Equip Norfolk, Va., Store with Solar Panels, EV Charging Stations

IKEA announced that its future Norfolk, Va., store will be equipped with solar panels and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations when it opens in spring 2019.

IKEA Norfolk will feature a 180,000-square-foot solar array, which will consist of a 1.26-megawatt (MW) system built with 3,654 panels and will produce approximately 1,743,000 kWh (kilowatt hours) of electricity annually for the store. According to the company, that is the equivalent of reducing 1,233 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2)—equal to the emissions of 262 cars or providing electricity for 215 homes yearly.

For the development, design and installation of the new store’s solar power system, IKEA selected REC Solar. In addition, the store will have three Blink electric vehicle charging stations. This initiative reflects the continued partnership between IKEA and Blink Charging Co., an owner, operator and provider of EV 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.

“We are excited to further our sustainability commitment with the installation of the largest solar rooftop array in the area and EV charging stations at our future IKEA Norfolk store,” said Lisa Davis, sustainability manager of IKEA U.S., in a statement. “At IKEA, we want to have a positive impact on people and the planet, and these investments support our objectives to reduce our emissions and achieve energy independence by 2020.”

Related:Ikea Works to Slash Food Waste by 50% by 2020

This installation will represent the 56th solar project for IKEA in the U.S. and contribute to the company’s solar presence atop nearly 90 percent of its U.S. locations, with a total generation of more than 56 MW. IKEA owns and operates each of its solar PV energy systems atop its buildings and globally has allocated $2.5 billion to invest in renewable energy through 2020.

Consistent with the goal of being energy independent by 2020, IKEA noted it 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.

To charge an EV at the future IKEA Norfolk, drivers can tap their Blink InCard to the reader below the screen, initiate the session directly from the Blink Mobile application or use a guest code provided via the Blink Mobile app.