Distributed Solar Development\u00ad\u00ad built the Baltimore carport and will deliver the home furnishings giant\u2019s other projects in Maryland and California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In partnership with New York-based Distributed Solar Development\u00ad\u00ad (DSD), home furnishings retailer IKEA said it\u00a0completed<\/a>\u00a0a 1.35 MW solar carport at its Baltimore location and plans to build seven more projects at other U.S. stores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The solar carports will help IKEA move toward its goal of being powered by 100% renewable energy while also increasing energy efficiency by 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DSD designed and built the Baltimore carport. Initial results indicate the location has seen an 84% decrease in its purchased energy requirement between September and December 2020, equating to a 57% cost savings for the store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Baltimore project is the first of eight projects totaling 7 MW that DSD will develop for IKEA stores in Maryland and California. The other arrays are on track to be done this year. In January, DSD closed<\/a> on a $300 million debt facility financed by Credit Suisse and hinted it will have more deals to announce in the near future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All totaled, the solar carports are expected to generate roughly 10.7 GWh a year. Five of the projects include energy storage systems with a collective capacity of about 5 MWh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the U.S., the company currently owns 104 wind turbines, two geothermal properties, 240,784 solar panels<\/a>, and 143 electric vehicle charging stations across 51 properties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2020, Ingka Group, a partner in the IKEA franchise system, committed more than $700 million into companies, solutions, and its own operations to move to a net-zero carbon economy. As part of that effort, Ingka Group invested in two solar parks totaling 403 MW of capacity in Utah and Texas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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