Home furnishings retail giant IKEA fulfilled the promise they made last December when they officially plugged in their solar energy system at its store on Adamo Drive in Ybor City.
IKEA Tampa’s program will produce approximately 1,792,300 kWh of clean electricity annually, the equivalent of reducing 1,362 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), eliminating the emissions of 242 cars or powering 154 homes annually.
The Ybor installation represents the 22nd completed solar energy project for IKEA in the U.S., with 17 more locations underway.
"The installation of solar panels at IKEA Tampa is another way we can build upon our ongoing commitment to sustainability,” said Monica Varela, IKEA Tampa store manager. “At IKEA, we believe in being a good business while doing good business and investing in renewable energy accomplishes both of those goals. We appreciate the support of the City of Tampa, TECO, and REC Solar, Inc., our partners in this project.”
IKEA opened on Adamo Drive back in 2009 in Tampa.
This article appears in Jul 12-18, 2012.