(Oct. 14) – Ikea announced yesterday that it would install photovoltaic panels on seven stores and its distribution center in California.

The 20,000 panels will produce 6.65 million kilowatt hours, according a press release from the Swedish furniture company. That’s enough energy to power 580 average American homes.

The PV array that will be installed on the Ikea distribution center will be the second largest in California and among the top 10 largest building installations in the country, said Joseph Roth, Ikea’s public relations manager for the United States.

“Because of our Sweedish heritage, we have a natural respect for the environment,” Roth said. “And these locations in California proved to be very feasible locations for solar.”

The company already has solar installations and other renewable energy generation systems on the roofs of some of its stores around the country.

“We want to set a good example,” Roth said. “We want to show that you can be environmentally responsible while doing good business.”

The arrays won’t produce enough energy to eliminate Ikea’s electric bills, Roth said. The stores and distribution center will still be connected to and dependent upon the electrical grid. But the solar arrays will make a significant dent in the business’ energy costs.

“It’s smart business,” he said, “and it’s green.”

Adding renewable energy to the roofs of its building is just one among several environmentally friendly measures the company has implemented in recent years. In August, the company began replacing incandescent light bulbs. It has also taken steps to reduce energy and water consumption, recycles 75 percent of waste and flat packs items for shipping to reduce the packing materials it uses.

The panels will be installed later this year on stores in East Palo Alto, Emeryville, West Sacramento, Burbank, Costa Mesa, Covina and San Diego, along with its distribution center in Tejon.

Pictured: Ikea facility manager Ryan Garcia in front of the company's Tempe, Ariz., location. Image courtesy of SRP.net