GS Solar bags £4m IKEA solar panel deal

Chinese manufacturing giant GS Solar has agreed to fit solar panels on the rooftops of ten IKEA stores, in a deal worth £4m.

The move makes IKEA the first major retailer in the UK to invest heavily in solar and to begin rolling out panels across its estate.

In June Marks and Spencer claimed on-site renewables were not financially viable “by miles”.

GS Solar will install the panels on IKEA stores in Cardiff, Edmonton, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Milton Keynes, Nottingham, Southampton, Warrington, Wednesbury and Wembley.

The retailer has also bought a 12.3-megawatt wind farm in Huntly, northeast Scotland to help build up its renewable portfolio.

IKEA now owns 67 wind turbines across its business providing 127 megawatts of capacity.