IKEA will soon sell solar panels across all 17 of its UK stores, in a move that shows the Swedish flat-pack furniture giant’s support for environmental sustainability.
IKEA plans to offer the standard black 3.36 kilowatt system in store as well as a consultation and installation service, with panels made by Chinese solar manufacturer, Hanergy Holding Group Ltd. The system is predicted to cover its costs in just seven years.
“We want to make a greener, more sustainable way of life attractive and easy for as many people as possible, so in addition to our collaboration with Hanergy, we’re dedicated to expanding our range of sustainable products that help customers save energy, water and sort waste fourfold by 2020,” said Joanna Yarrow, head of sustainability IKEA UK and Ireland.
Credit: FEC France
For $9,200, customers will also receive ongoing energy and monitoring services. The UK’s financial incentives as well as average electricity prices makes the UK is a great market to trial the uptake of solar en masse, and will serve as a testing ground before IKEA expands its solar offering elsewhere.
According to IKEA, most customers would go solar to reduce their energy bills, but find the upfront cost too high. For this reason, IKEA & Hanergy will also offer flexible financing options.
“We know that our customers want to live more sustainably and we hope working with Hanergy to make solar panels affordable and easily available helps them do just that,” added Yarrow.
