As an addendum to the earlier story about the need for all businesses to be carbon neutral (or better) in the next 20 or so years, Swedish retailer IKEA announced last week (14 Nov) the purchase of a 46 MW wind farm in Pincher Creek, Alberta.
The 20 turbine wind farm is expected to generate 161 GWh of electricity per year, more than double the current energy consumption of IKEA Canada and 60 percent of total IKEA group consumption in North America. It will be fully operational by this time next year.
The investment is “is a significant step to achieving IKEA’s global ambition to be energy independent by 2020, producing more renewable energy than we consume,” the company said.
It also “reduces our energy and operating costs, and passes those benefits on to our customers by continuing to offer high quality home furnishings at low prices,” Kerri Molinaro, President of IKEA Canada, said.
“IKEA Canada’s investment in renewable energy is a win-win-win” — a permabusiness in operation.