IKEA announced on Thursday it will be partnering with SunPower to make solar energy solutions “easier to access”.
The solar product announcement means members of the IKEA Family customer loyalty program will be able to purchase SunPower’s home solar solutions, to then generate and store renewable energy at home. The partnership between IKEA and SunPower is expected to debut in select California markets this fall.
“At IKEA, we’re passionate about helping our customers live a more sustainable life at home. We’re proud to collaborate with SunPower to bring this service to the U.S. and enable our customers to make individual choices aimed at reducing their overall climate footprint,” said Javier Quiñones, CEO & Chief Sustainability Officer, IKEA U.S., in a statement. “The launch of Home Solar with IKEA will allow more people to take greater control of their energy needs, and our goal is to offer the clean energy service at additional IKEA locations in the future.”
“We are thrilled to deliver exceptional solar products to IKEA customers through a unique and simplified buying experience,” added Peter Faricy, SunPower CEO. “Together with IKEA, we can help introduce the incredible benefits of solar to more people and deliver on our shared value of making a positive impact on the planet.”
The new solar offerings from IKEA and SunPower are in direct competition with other solar companies such as Tesla Energy. SunPower offers traditional-looking solar panels instead of Tesla’s solar roof tiles. But the IKEA entry adds yet another solar energy company to the mix, opening up alternatives for customers.
It’s unclear what the solar product from IKEA will cost, but pricing will likely come later this year.
IKEA says it plans to become climate positive by 2030; the company emphasized it has a current renewable energy portfolio in the U.S., that consists of 2 wind farms, 2 solar farms, 2 geothermal systems, seven biogas-fuel cells and rooftop solar arrays on 90% of IKEA locations.
