Swedish furniture giant Ikea is adding solar panels to its range as it plans to provide customers with means to both Starkvind (air purifier) and Stjärnstatus (a fridge).
The company will roll out its new offering this fall from its California location.
Ikea will work with SunPower, one of the largest solar companies in the country, to bring the project to life. SunPower will install the rooftop systems and a DC-battery storage unit.
Ikea has been very careful in its decision to reduce carbon emissions from its furniture model, and its solar offering will therefore complement its sustainability plans. Ikea’s solar efforts are aimed at reducing the emissions associated with the operation of its plug-in products to zero.
The cost and energy generated will depend on a number of factors, such as the size of the roof and how much sunlight it sees during the day. Customers will also enjoy fair discounts by taking advantage of incentives such as tax credits depending on where they live.
Ikea sold solar panels in the U.k., starting at about $9,000 per household including batteries, but stopped selling them in 2019 after a change in government subsidies made installation too costly.