The Swedish superstore popular for affordable and questionably easy to assemble furniture began phasing out incandescent bulbs in the United States in 2010. While they may not have the most environmentally friendly products, they do have a record of pursuing environmentally friendly technology. Ikea has a goal of 100% renewable energy, and owns wind farms in Denmark, France, Germany, and recently purchased one in Scotland. The retail giant has also invested heavily in adding solar panel technology to their stores. On top of their work towards renewable energy, Ikea Israel has joined the number of locations where the company will no longer carry incandescent lighting.

Here in the United States, Ikea has partnered with green electricity company ECOtality to introduce their “Blink” electric car charging stations at select IKEA stores in the Western United States. Currently, IKEA is considering launching these stations at stores in Arizona, California, Oregon, and Washington. These sites will be evaluated for feasibility and installation needs, and operational charging stations could be available as early as this fall! IKEA U.S. also has solar energy installations operational in eight locations – including a Denver-area store opening this year in Centennial, CO which also has a geothermal system. In addition to these, Ikea has solar projects underway at 12 other locations worldwide!