IKEA is an innovative company in many aspects. Besides the innovative available products and solutions, IKEA is also very innovative regarding a possible high coverage of their energy demand via renewable energy sources.

Especially in Singapore free available area for the installation of renewable energy solutions is very limited. The only available space for mainly existing multi-storey buildings is the roof area. The main aim of IKEA was to reach maximum coverage of the energy demand via renewable energy sources.

IKEA decided to install a solar thermal operated air-conditioning system, with the following advantages:

• High specific solar yield per m² roof.
• Shifting solar yields into the night operation hours via hot water storage.
• Approved technology with a track of performance.
• A low maintenance effort for the system.
• Possible multiplication factor for other IKEA buildings worldwide.

SOLID consulted IKEA, with the given above advantages, to install a solar thermal air-conditioning system.

SOLID evaluated the existing cooling demand, available roof area, and designed a custom optimized system for IKEA Singapore. The solar system can cover a part of the existing cooling demand of the multi-storey building.

Impacts:

• saves the equivalent to 200 jetliner flights from Singapore to Sydney
• saves 3 million kWh of local used solar energy
  • the equivalent of the demand 283 four-room flats in Singapore
• energy savings of $2.4 million on electrical bills in the next ten years
• solar helps to keep the operational costs low.