Can a company have more renewable energy than necessary? This one does...

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Ikea. Can a company have more renewable energy than necessary?  This one does...
Last week, Ikea's parent company, Ingka Group, announced that its wind and solar assets generate far more renewable energy than is needed for its own operations - 132% more, to be exact.

According to Triple Pundit , that's only part of the story, as the company also enlists its customers and partners in decarbonization.

Solar panels.  Can a company have more renewable energy than necessary?  This one does...
More renewable energy than necessary
Rooftop solar panels have provided Ikea with a high-visibility and newsworthy decarbonization path, but the most important driver of the company's renewable energy efforts is its investment in expanding off-site wind and solar farms. .

For example, last week Ikea Canada noted that its rooftop solar panels have combined with the two wind farms it has purchased in Alberta to produce four times the amount of energy consumed by its stores.

Ikea Canada could reap even Ecuador Mobile Number List more renewable energy benefits from those two wind farms in the future.

The 2017 purchase involved a wind farm that came online in 2011, and Ikea Canada purchased its other Alberta wind farm in 2013.

Wind turbine.  Can a company have more renewable energy than necessary?  This one does...
Wind technology has improved since then, and older wind farms are being retrofitted with new turbines to generate even more electricity. When Ikea Canada's wind farms undergo an overhaul, their output could increase significantly.

See beyond rooftop solar
Rooftop solar still has great value as a source of carbon-free electricity and as a resilience buffer. By investing in rooftop solar, retailers can also help promote public support for renewable energy, even in areas where state lawmakers have resisted.

Ikea's message to other leading retailers is that the macro world of rapid global decarbonization demands an approach that goes beyond the ceiling.


General Motors provides another similar example. Like Ikea, the automaker was an early adopter of rooftop solar on its properties. The automaker has also recognized the limitations of relying on its own rooftops, which is why it has been investing in wind farms.

GM has been helping to accelerate the development of this type of energy as a founding member of the Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance and supporting Michigan power and utility company DTE's clean energy program.

               


Those efforts are part of the company's decision to transfer its fleet to electric propulsion. All things being equal, GM customers and other electric vehicle (EV) users will place new demands on this grid, making it imperative to accelerate renewable energy development.

Electric charge.  Can a company have more renewable energy than necessary?  This one does...
That focus on the customer's relationship with energy is also part of the Ikea model. Ingka Group's latest sustainability report notes a suite of programs aimed at encouraging decarbonization by individual customers, including the introduction of new plant-based "Swedish meatballs," a renewed focus on furniture marketing such as-is and second-hand, as well as the Better Living App for energy, water and waste.