Solar Panels Coming to an IKEA Near You

Swedish furniture maker IKEA has decided to begin selling home solar panels as part of a new strategy to bring low-cost renewable energy to the mainstream market. The first store to sell the panels is located in Southampton, England and the company has plans to market them throughout the UK in the next few months.

The IKEA solar energy package will be a standard 3.36 kilowatt system and will cost about $9000. IT will include in-store consultation, design service, installation, regular maintenance, and an energy monitoring service. The company says a typical British home owner can expect to pay off the investment within about 7 years.

According to IKEA Chief Sustainability Officer Steve Howard:

"In the past few years the prices on solar panels have dropped, so it's a really good price now... It's the right time to go for the consumers... If you are going to be in your house that long, your energy will be free after seven years."

We say: Fantastic! Now we just need an IKEA store here in Southern Nevada... aka the sunniest place on earth!

Learn some mo': IKEA Starts Selling Solar Panels in UK

Photo by: rpeschetz