CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. — IKEA announced it is furthering its renewable energy commitment with plans for biogas-powered fuel cell systems at four more of its California stores. A year ago, IKEA completed installation of such a project at IKEA Emeryville, one of the company’s two San Francisco-area stores. IKEA now plans to expand its fuel cell portfolio to 1.3 MW with a system at its other San Francisco-area store (in East Palo Alto), as well as three stores in Southern California (Costa Mesa, Covina, and San Diego). Pending permits, the fuel cells will be installed, commissioned, and operational by fall 2016, complementing solar arrays already atop each of the four stores.

“Based on the success of the system installed last year in Emeryville, we are excited about further increasing our renewable portfolio with four more fuel cell projects,” said IKEA U.S. president Lars Petersson. “Fuel cells represent another way we can contribute to our goal of generating renewable energy equal to the amount of power we consume worldwide.”

For the design, development, and installation of these planned fuel cell systems, IKEA contracted with Sunnyvale, California-based Bloom Energy, a provider of solid oxide fuel cell technology, to generate clean, efficient on-site power.

• Costa Mesa store – opened in 2003; store size: 308,000 square feet on 24 acres
Fuel Cell Program: 300 kW generating 2,497,651 kWh/year
Equivalent to reducing 1,315 tons of CO2 or powering 194 homes

• Covina store – opened in 2003; store size: 325,000 square feet on 12.5 acres
Fuel Cell Program: 200 kW generating 1,665,101 kWh/year
Equivalent to reducing 877 tons of CO2 or powering 130 homes

• East Palo Alto store – opened in 2003; store size: 290,000 square feet on 10.5 acres
Fuel Cell Program: 300 kW generating 2,497,651 kWh/year
Equivalent to reducing 1,315 tons of CO2 or powering 194 homes

• San Diego store – opened in 2000; store size: 198,000 square feet on 10 acres
Fuel Cell Program: 200 kW generating 1,665,101 kWh/year
Equivalent to reducing 877 tons of CO2 or powering 130 homes

IKEA U.S. has solar arrays at 90 percent of its locations, integrated two geothermal projects at two store locations, and owns two wind farms.

For more information, visit www.ikea-usa.com.

Publication date: 8/1/2016

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